India’s foreign ministry announced on Friday that it has expressed its apprehensions to Beijing regarding China‘s initiative to construct a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo river, which eventually flows into India.

Chinese representatives assert that the hydropower developments in Tibet will not significantly affect the environment or the water supply downstream. However, both India and Bangladesh have voiced their concerns regarding the dam’s potential impact.

As the Yarlung Zangbo river exits Tibet, it transforms into the Brahmaputra river, traversing through India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states before reaching Bangladesh. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly media briefing, “The Chinese authorities have been urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not compromised by activities in the upstream regions.” He added, “We will persist in monitoring the situation and taking necessary actions to safeguard our interests.”

The dam, which is set to be the largest of its kind globally with an anticipated capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, received approval last month. Jaiswal also mentioned that New Delhi had formally protested to Beijing regarding the establishment of two new counties, one of which encompasses a disputed area claimed by India. He emphasized, “The creation of new counties will not affect India’s longstanding and consistent stance on our sovereignty over the region, nor will it legitimize China’s unlawful and forceful occupation of the territory.”