India's foreign ministry announced on Friday that it has raised concerns with Beijing regarding China's proposal to construct a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo river, which eventually flows into India. While Chinese officials assert that hydropower projects in Tibet will have minimal impact on the environment or downstream water resources, both India and Bangladesh have expressed reservations about the potential consequences of the dam.

The Yarlung Zangbo transforms into the Brahmaputra river as it exits Tibet, flowing southward through India's Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states before entering Bangladesh. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized during a weekly media briefing that Beijing had been urged to ensure the activities in upstream regions do not harm the interests of downstream states along the Brahmaputra. "We will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate measures to safeguard our interests," Jaiswal affirmed.

The dam, which is expected to be the world's largest, with a projected capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, received approval last month. Jaiswal also revealed that New Delhi had lodged a "solemn protest" with Beijing over the creation of two new counties in Tibet, one of which includes a disputed area claimed by India. "The establishment of these new counties will not alter India’s steadfast position on sovereignty over the region, nor will it legitimize China's illegal occupation," he remarked.

India-China relations, which had soured after a deadly border clash in 2020, have been improving since October, when both sides agreed to withdraw troops from the remaining standoff points in the western Himalayas. Following the agreement, the two armies have begun to retreat, and senior officials held formal talks for the first time in five years last month, discussing measures to gradually enhance bilateral ties.