World braces for new kind of conflict: water war. Unlike past battles with swords or gunfire, this fight pits India against China, wielding dams as weapons.
At center lies Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, soon home to world’s largest dam. China’s $137 billion project promises 300 billion kilowatts of electricity yearly, dwarfing Three Gorges Dam.
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Meanwhile, India counters with Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, costing $13.2 billion, storing 9 billion cubic meters of water, generating 11,000 megawatts.
River, known as Siang in India and Brahmaputra in Bangladesh, flows from Tibet’s peaks through subcontinent, sustaining millions. Now, it’s geopolitical flashpoint. China’s dam could choke natural flow, experts warn, while India’s response ignores local tribal protests. Tensions soar across region.
Bangladesh faces gravest risk. Brahmaputra, though covering 8% of its land, supplies 65% of water. Altered flows from upstream dams spell disaster—droughts, floods, river erosion. Northeastern Bangladesh, home to millions, stares at ruin. Al Jazeera reports highlight fears: dams threaten livelihoods, ecology.
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Himalayan zone, prone to earthquakes, adds danger. January’s 7.1 magnitude quake in Tibet damaged five hydropower dams, hinting at worse. Future collapse could send deadly waves downstream, hitting Bangladesh hardest. Experts call these megadams “time bombs” in fragile terrain.
Neither India nor China signed UN water-sharing treaty, leaving no legal bind. Bangladesh, downstream and vulnerable, pays price for upstream rivalry. Subcontinent heats up—not with war cries, but with water stakes. Who loses most? Answer echoes clear: Bangladesh.
