Source: The post Building Dams – The China Way has been created, based on the article “On dams, take the China way” published in “Indian Express” on 4 October 2025. Building Dams – The China Way.
UPSC Syllabus: GS-2- India and its Neighborhood- Relations
Context: India and China, both ancient civilizations, have long histories of managing water resources to mitigate floods and droughts. However, despite beginning large dam construction around the same time in the 1950s, China has outpaced India significantly. Today, China’s installed hydropower capacity is more than ten times that of India, highlighting a stark difference in policy direction, institutional efficiency, and political will.
Historical Background
- India: India began major dam projects post-independence such as Hirakud (1957) and Bhakra (1963), envisioned as “temples of modern India.”
- China: China initiated its dam-building phase after 1949, with Sanmenxia (1960) as its first major project.
- Both nations initially faced design and operational challenges, but their trajectories diverged markedly post-1980.
Divergence in Policies and Outcomes
- Policy Orientation:
- In the 1980s and 1990s, India shifted its focus from large dam construction to smaller water harvesting structures such as check dams and rainwater harvesting systems. This was due to growing environmental concerns and social resistance.
- In contrast, China continued its large dam construction program with a pragmatic approach, learning from early failures and improving project design and management standards.
- Institutional Confidence:
- In India, controversies surrounding projects like the Sardar Sarovar Dam and the withdrawal of World Bank funding reduced institutional confidence in large-scale dam building.
- China strengthened its engineering capacity and confidence by successfully implementing massive projects like the South–North Water Transfer Project.
- Hydropower Capacity and Growth:
- India’s hydropower development stagnated due to administrative delays, financial constraints, and social opposition, leading to an installed capacity of only 42.72 GW by 2024.
- Meanwhile, China’s political prioritization and centralized governance enabled rapid hydropower expansion, achieving an installed capacity of 435.95 GW, which is more than ten times that of India.
- Policy Response to Failures:
- India’s approach to project failures was largely cautious and reactive, often resulting in prolonged halts and excessive reviews.
- China adopted a corrective approach, studying the reasons for early dam failures such as Sanmenxia and modifying future designs and policies accordingly.
- Environmental and Resettlement Policies:
- India emphasized environmental protection and rehabilitation policies, often leading to lengthy legal procedures and project delays.
- China, while addressing resettlement concerns, ensured that development objectives were not compromised, maintaining a balance between environmental management and infrastructure expansion.
Challenges in India’s Dam Development
- Legal and environmental litigations often cause prolonged delays in dam construction projects.
- Coordination among different agencies remains weak, leading to fragmented and inefficient water governance.
- Financing and post-construction maintenance of dams are inadequate, affecting their long-term performance.
- India’s heavy dependence on monsoon rainfall, coupled with insufficient water storage capacity, limits water availability during dry seasons.
- Many existing reservoirs face sedimentation and safety issues, reducing their effective capacity and operational efficiency.
Lessons from China
- Pragmatism over populism: Evaluate outcomes and modify designs rather than halting projects.
- Integrated Water Management: Link water, energy, and food security goals to ensure sustainable and efficient resources utilisation.
- Technological Upgradation: Invest in modern sediment management, monitoring, and dam safety to enhance operational efficiency and reduce risks.
- Strong Institutional Framework: Centralised and accountable water governance system to ensure effective coordination, transparency and policy implementation.
- Balanced Development Approach: Combine environmental protection with infrastructural expansion to achieve long-term sustainability.
Way Forward
- Comprehensive Water Policy Reform: Develop an integrated National Water Storage and Management Policy to align large, medium, and small storage infrastructure.
- Institutional Strengthening: Create a National Dam Authority with technical, environmental, and social expertise to oversee design, maintenance, and safety.
- Expedite Project Clearances: Simplify legal and environmental procedures through a single-window mechanism while ensuring compliance with safeguards.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage private investment and international collaborations for hydropower and dam modernisation.
- Technology and Research Focus: Invest in sediment management, remote monitoring, and AI-based forecasting for dam operations and flood control.
- Community Engagement: Implement transparent resettlement and benefit-sharing mechanisms to reduce social opposition.
- Climate Resilience: Design future dams and water systems considering extreme rainfall, glacier melt, and changing hydrological patterns.
Conclusion
China’s dam success underscores the value of adaptive, evidence-based policymaking. For India, balancing large-scale infrastructure with sustainability and inclusiveness is crucial. With its growing population, rapid urbanisation, and climate challenges, India must reform its water governance framework and accelerate strategic dam construction. A pragmatic, technologically sound, and socially inclusive approach can ensure water and energy security for the next generation.
Question: Examine the differences between India and China in dam construction and water management, and suggest lessons India can learn from China’s approach.
