India's Largest Hydropower Project and Strategic Concerns

The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh aims to construct India's largest hydropower project with an anticipated capacity of 11,000 megawatts. This project is positioned as a strategic initiative, primarily to counter China's construction of a massive dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, rather than solely for hydropower generation. Concerns among locals regarding the project include the potential for significant flooding if China releases water from its dam, referred to ominously by officials as a 'water bomb,' which could devastate downstream areas in India and Bangladesh. The government's message of urgency and strategic necessity, however, struggles to resonate with local communities who remain skeptical of the claims and are concerned about the loss of their land and livelihood.