Protests against the proposed Siang dam project in India’s northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state turned violent on October 23, 2026, with around 40 police personnel injured and buildings set alight, officials said.

Siang dam project faces local opposition

The proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project would be developed by state-run hydropower company NHPC. Local communities oppose the project over fears that they could lose their homes and land.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu said a police station and NHPC office were vandalized and several elected representatives’ homes were ransacked. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, while protesters threw stones at officers.

Khandu urged opponents to engage in dialogue with the government instead of resorting to violence.

India’s concerns over the upstream project

India says the proposed dam is needed to counter China’s $167 billion Yaxia hydropower project upstream in Tibet. New Delhi fears that the Chinese project could affect downstream water flows and says the Indian reservoir would help maintain flows into the Brahmaputra River.

Beijing has said its project will have no negative impact downstream. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet; India says the state is an integral part of its territory.

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