The protests triggered by two mega hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh reflect the failure of the arguments made in support of these projects to convince the affected local communities. Apprehension over cumulative downstream impact in Assam is also snowballing. While these projects have strategic importance for India to establish “prior-use” rights for beneficial use over transboundary rivers like Siang and Subonsiri, the genuine apprehension over adverse ecological and socio-cultural effects expressed by different indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh cannot be brushed under the carpet. A meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu held on September 23 passed a resolution approving the constitution of an empowered high-level committee to guide and coordinate the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) Survey and associated activities for the proposed 11,000-mega-watt Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Siang and Upper Siang Districts. The Pema Khandu government has described the resolution as reflecting its “continuing commitment to ensuring the survey is carried out in a transparent, peaceful and people-centric manner.” The state cabinet also noted that the project had been declared a National Project by the central government in 2008, underlining its strategic significance for the nation and Arunachal Pradesh, with the potential to strengthen water and energy security, aid flood moderation in the Siang-Brahmaputra basin, generate employment, and support long-term socio-economic development of the Siang region. The Cabinet also took note of concerns raised by some sections of people in these districts regarding misinformation and disinformation being spread by certain vested interests and further resolved that PFR’s peaceful conduct depends on sustained, meaningful engagement with residents of Siang and Upper Siang districts. It emphasised that the voices, welfare and aspirations of likely project affected families and local communities have always been, and will always remain, central to the process. This state government’s assurance to engage with those opposed to the project is a pragmatic approach, as dialogue, rather than coercive measures, is far more effective in bringing about a consensus and bringing all contentious concerns into the discussion for resolution. As China has already started construction of the world’s largest hydropower project of 60,000-megawatt capacity on Yarlung Zangbo (Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, Brahmaputra in Assam), India cannot afford to indefinitely postpone its response of establishing sovereign rights over the river through construction of projects that are aimed at beneficial use of the water of this transboundary river. The lack of transparency over the likely impact of the water flow regime in the Brahmaputra due to the Siang project and the Subonsiri Upper project has added to downstream concern. Leaving such concerns unaddressed only deepens the risk of misinformation and disinformation being spread by vested interests. This situation calls for the government and the project developers to secure the confidence of the people by adequately informing them about the likely impacts, potential displacement, and trade-offs, in addition to addressing strategic concerns. The trade-offs should be specific, as generic assurances like ‘there will be more employment’ and ‘more local development’ are vague and fail to remove apprehension if such a trade-off will ensure a better life to compensate for the loss of ancestral properties and cultural practices which are intricately linked to their traditional agriculture and other associated practices. The Siang project is proposed to be a multipurpose project with flood moderation and irrigation benefits, but the dam safety will remain a concern among people in downstream areas in both the states due to earthquake risks. The failure of the government to clear these doubts in the case of the Subonsiri lower hydropower project led to prolonged delays in project execution over downstream concerns. Although the anti-dam movement in Assam lost momentum and the project was eventually commissioned, the concerns that were raised remained unaddressed, leading to the emergence of new fault lines when additional hydropower projects were proposed in Arunachal Pradesh. Additionally, the recent catastrophe in Nepal has heightened concerns about the risk of glacial lake outburst floods caused by the rapid melting of glaciers in Arunachal Pradesh, which could worsen downstream risks in Assam. This situation requires the central government, the Arunachal Pradesh government, and the Assam government to take steps to inform the public about these projects and the safety measures in place to mitigate potential ecological impacts, in order to build confidence regarding the trade-offs before an inadequately informed campaign can gain traction and indefinitely delay the projects. If a flood cushion in the Siang project moderates the flood level in the Brahmaputra in Assam, then it will certainly be beneficial and welcome, but people will appreciate this only when technical information regarding the volume of flood moderation is decoded and communicated for the layperson. Merely reiterating that the project will moderate floods in Assam will not help remove the doubts and apprehension. The governments can expedite construction more easily if they address the apprehensions raised by people in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam sooner.