Arunachal Pradesh is gearing itself up to be a powerhouse of hydropower as it connects the growth of infrastructure to that of tourism and the agriculture sector, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, informed, explaining the developmental model of his state, which is built on hydropower and connectivity.

While speaking at the policy conference in New Delhi, Khandu referred to his state as a "powerhouse" for hydropower and cited examples of current and upcoming projects aimed at increasing its production. He added that better road infrastructure and development of physical infrastructure had helped grow the agriculture and tourism sectors in the state.

The state of Arunachal Pradesh has immense potential when it comes to the generation of hydropower, as there are many ongoing projects and some others are in the pipeline. Various major hydropower projects are under construction and play a very important role in the economy of the state.

According to Khandu, connectivity through infrastructure development had helped diversify its economy, as better connectivity in border regions led to an improvement in the agricultural and tourist sectors.

Hydropower continues to be an integral part of the state’s future vision. The government has seen hydropower as a source of income and employment with the potential of generating power and stimulating economic growth over the years ahead.

The importance of hydropower can be attributed to the national agenda for renewable energy, in which big hydro projects would increase the supply of renewable energy sources. The hydropower potential of the state is one of the biggest unutilized hydropower potentials of the country.

Hydropower expansion is dependent on the availability of road and transmission infrastructure. Cooperation between national, state, and other bodies involved in planning hydropower development is needed to solve time and place issues.

The state government has continued to associate hydropower with other industries, but the success of the projects will ultimately depend on the policies implemented and the investment made.