Hydroelectricity in the Himalayas


At least 14 people have died and over 100 are missing in the north-east Indian state of Sikkim, after a cloudburst caused a glacial lake to break its banks and overflow into the valley below.

The flash flood washed away key infrastructure, including the Chungthang / Teesta III Dam, which is one of 5,000 dams in India.

Why does India have so many dams? Like other Himalayan neighbours, such as China and Nepal, India has sought to harness its thousands of rivers for water reservoirs and sustainable energy. Delhi is hoping to generate up to 8.5% of India’s electricity through hydroelectric dams by 2030.

But that’s not easy:

  • 🌊 The Himalayan basin is prone to flooding, and it’ll get worse as temperatures rise (a 2014 piece eerily predicted this week’s flood)
  • ⚔️ Water scarcity exacerbates regional rivalries: Pakistan often accuses India of diverting water from their shared rivers in violation of the Indus Water Treaty, while both India and China are planning new dams along their own contested border, and
  • ⚡ Dams often come with economic and social costs, including the displacement of local communities.

Intrigue’s take: We’ve mentioned water a bit lately. We’re not taking money from Big Water or anything. We’re just observing reality as we see it, particularly as it relates to our area of expertise (geopolitics).

India’s energy consumption is projected to rise faster than anywhere else in the world. So the place clearly needs more energy. And it makes sense to harness its own mountains and rivers to help.

But when you start tinkering with a Himalayan biosphere on which 1.9 billion people rely, including your two nuclear-armed neighbours, there are risks. And we’ll be seeing this kind of dynamic play out almost everywhere.

Also worth noting:

  • Unlike India and Pakistan, India and China have no water sharing arrangement in place.
  • The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (based in Kathmandu) has found that glaciers in the region disappeared 65% faster in the 2010s than in the previous decade.
Latest Author Articles
Xi and Putin need each other more than ever

Vladimir Putin is hosting world leaders in Moscow for WWII victory celebrations today.  Why does this matter? But there are a couple other signals on display. Stay on top of your world from inside your inbox. Subscribe for free today and receive way much more insights. Trusted by 127,000+ subscribers Email(Required) Hidden utm_source Hidden utm_page […]

9 May, 2025
Israel approves plan to capture and hold Gaza

After weeks of Israeli air strikes, ground raids, and blockades billed as pressure tactics to force Hamas to release the final 59 hostages, the Israeli security cabinet has unanimously approved a plan to expand back across Gaza. The details of this ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ directive remain fuzzy, but an Israeli official has told media it’ll include:  […]

7 May, 2025
Does this US-Ukraine deal change anything?

Our Wednesday briefing on Trump’s first 100 days had barely cannon-balled into your inbox when the White House dropped a surprise: the Ukraine minerals deal was done.  The broad idea first emerged in President Zelensky’s victory plan last October. Dropping just a couple of weeks before Americans went to the polls, Zelensky’s strategy was: As Trump cruised […]

2 May, 2025
The world reloads its war chest

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) was born back in the 1960s, after Sweden’s then prime minister (who we imagine rocked a turtleneck) suggested establishing a new thinktank to commemorate the country’s 150 years of unbroken peace. And SIPRI has been absolutely pumping out reports ever since, but it’s really grabbed international attention in recent years, […]

1 May, 2025