India, July 20 -- China has begun construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in southeastern Tibet, which flows into India as the Brahmaputra. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, according to state-run media.

The multi-billion-dollar dam, approved by Beijing in December 2023, is being built in the Nyingchi region, not far from the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.

Due to the geographical positioning, New Delhi has in the past raised concerns over potential environmental and strategic threats because of its downstream impact on millions of people in India and Bangladesh. However, Beijing denies its 'negative impacts.'

China's state news agency Xinhua reported that t...