India’s Mega $77 Billion Hydropower Push As China Ramps Up Upstream Dam Project

Last Updated:October 13, 2025, 20:19 IST

The plan, detailed in a CEA report released on Monday, covers 208 large hydro projects across 12 sub-basins in the northeastern states

Brahmaputra river in Jogighopa, in the northeastern state of Assam | Reuters Image

India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) unveiled an ambitious Rs 6.4 trillion ($77 billion) transmission plan to harness over 76 gigawatts of hydroelectric capacity from the Brahmaputra basin by 2047, aiming to meet the country’s rising electricity demand.

The plan, detailed in a CEA report released on Monday, covers 208 large hydro projects across 12 sub-basins in the northeastern states.

It envisions 64.9 GW from conventional hydro projects and an additional 11.1 GW from pumped-storage plants. Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, is expected to contribute 52.2 GW alone.

The Brahmaputra River, originating in Tibet, China, and flowing through India and Bangladesh, holds substantial hydro potential in India, but its transboundary nature and proximity to China present strategic challenges.

Indian officials have expressed concern that Chinese dams on the river’s upper course, the Yarlung Zangbo, could reduce dry-season flows by up to 85 per cent, affecting power generation downstream.

The basin spans Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal, accounting for more than 80 per cent of India’s untapped hydro potential.

The CEA has divided the plan into two phases: Phase one, running until 2035, will require 1.91 trillion rupees, while Phase two will cost 4.52 trillion rupees.

The plan also includes projects allocated to central public sector utilities such as NHPC, NEEPCO, and SJVN, with several projects already under development.

This initiative aligns with India’s broader goal of reducing fossil fuel dependence, aiming for 500 GW of non-fossil power generation by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

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