Amid growing tensions between India and China, Beijing approved the construction of the world's largest dam on December 26. This massive hydropower project will be built on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, near the Indian border. 

With a projected cost of USD 137 billion and the capacity to generate three times as much energy as the Three Gorges Dam, it is reportedly the largest infrastructure project on the planet, according to China-based Xinhua. The major hydropower project is planned to be built in the lower part of the Yarlung Zangbo, which is the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra River. 

According to a 2020 estimate by the Power Construction Corp of China, the dam has the potential to produce 300 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year. It is important to note that the construction of the Three Gorges Dam led to the resettlement of 1.4 million people. However, the authorities have not yet revealed how many people might need to be relocated or how it will impact the local ecosystem. The investment in the Brahmaputra dam could be more than USD 137 billion, according to the South China Morning Post, which is based in Hong Kong. The dam is part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and the National Economic and Social Development plan, which also outlines goals for 2035. In India, there are concerns that the dam could increase China's control over the water flow, its size, and its impact. 

In addition, it could give China the ability to release large amounts of water, potentially flooding border areas during times of conflict. Notably, India is constructing a dam over the Brahmaputra River in Arunachal Pradesh. Both India and Bangladesh have previously raised concerns about the construction of dams in the region. India expressed worries that Chinese initiatives of this nature in the area would cause flash floods or lead to water scarcity in the future.