India's foreign ministry said on Friday that New Delhi has conveyed its concerns to Beijing about China's plan to build a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo river which flows into India. Ch

The project has stoked concerns about displacement and environmental impact downstream in India and Bangladesh.

Beijing has approved plans to dam a gorge in the Himalayas that is three times as deep as the Grand Canyon, despite concerns about the impact on Tibet and India.

India said on Friday (Jan 3) it had raised concerns with China about a planned mega hydropower dam construction upstream in Tibet, saying it will "monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests".

The Chinese government granted approval to build the Medog Hydropower Station on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river, where it is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually, three times the power of China’s massive Three Gorges Dam, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

China has assured India that the construction of a mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet will not harm the lower riparian states. The project aims to develop clean energy and has been studied for decades to ensure environmental safety.

The Brahmaputra River, a lifeline to millions in India and Bangladesh, now finds itself at the centre of a major geopolitical storm. On December 25, China approved the construction of the world's largest hydropower project on this river—known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.