Author: Alberto Cossu – 10/06/2025
GEOPOLITICS OF WATER: THE BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER, AND CHINA’S POWER OVER TIBETAN RIVERS
Alberto Cossu
The Brahmaputra River, a majestic and vital artery flowing through the heart of Asia, originates in the icy heights of the Tibetan Himalayas before winding its way through China, India, and Bangladesh, eventually emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Known by various names along its course – Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, Siang and Brahmaputra in India, and Jamuna in Bangladesh – this transboundary river is a crucial source of sustenance for hundreds of millions of people. However, the tranquility of its flow has been disrupted by growing geopolitical tensions, particularly due to China’s ambitious infrastructure development plans in its upper reaches, with a focus on the construction of large-scale dams. These projects have raised significant concerns in downstream nations, primarily India and Bangladesh, regarding water security, ecological balance, and the delicate regional power dynamics. The management of the Brahmaputra’s waters has thus transformed into an intricate web of geopolitical considerations, where development aspirations clash with the imperative of equitable and sustainable resource sharing.
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