China has begun construction of a massive hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River, which flows from Tibet through India and into Bangladesh — triggering serious concerns in India over environmental and geopolitical impacts.

The project, estimated to cost 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately $167 billion), will include five major hydropower stations. Once completed, the dam is expected to surpass the scale of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River.

Downstream countries, particularly India and Bangladesh, fear that the dam could disrupt the river’s natural flow, negatively impact agriculture, and harm local ecosystems. Despite these concerns, China appears to be proceeding without addressing the objections raised by its neighbors.