Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday sharply responded to a Pakistani official’s remarks suggesting that China could stop the flow of the Brahmaputra River into India. Sarma called it a 'new scare tactic' by Islamabad and clarified that the river’s volume significantly increases after entering Indian territory due to monsoon-fed tributaries.
The remarks from Sarma came in reaction to statements made by Rana Ihsaan Afzal, a senior aide to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Afzal reportedly implied that, similar to India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, China might also retaliate by halting the flow of the Brahmaputra River into India. The comment sparked a strong rebuttal from the Assam chief minister.
“Pakistan is now spinning another manufactured threat,” Sarma said, dismissing the concern as baseless.
Taking to social media platform X, Sarma wrote, “What if China stops the Brahmaputra Water to India? A Response to Pakistan's New Scare Narrative. After India decisively moved away from the outdated Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan is now spinning another manufactured threat: What if China stops the Brahmaputra's water to India? Let's dismantle this myth -- not with fear, but with facts and national clarity: Brahmaputra: A River That Grows in India — Not Shrinks.”
He emphasized that China contributes only 30–35 per cent of the Brahmaputra’s total water flow, which originates from glacial melt and limited rainfall in Tibet. The remaining 65–70 per cent is generated within India, primarily due to heavy monsoon rainfall in northeastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.
Also Read: Assam's Silchar records highest daily rainfall in 132 years
Sarma highlighted that several major tributaries—such as the Subansiri, Lohit, Kameng, Manas, Dhansiri, Jia-Bharali, and Kopili—play a vital role in increasing the river’s volume after it enters India. Additional inflows from the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills, through rivers like the Krishnai, Digaru, and Kulsi, further bolster the river’s flow. “The Brahmaputra is essentially a rain-fed Indian river system that gains strength within Indian territory. It is not dependent on upstream flow,” Sarma stated.
He further added that even if China were to reduce water flow—a scenario he described as “unlikely” since China has never officially indicated such intentions—it could actually benefit India by reducing the intensity of the annual floods in Assam. These floods routinely displace large populations and cause extensive damage to livelihoods.
India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April following the terror attack in Pahalgam. The treaty, in effect since 1960, regulates the distribution of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. During a speech in Gujarat last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that the move had left Pakistan “sweating.”
In response, Pakistan reaffirmed its hardline stance on water rights. “Water is Pakistan's red line, and we will not allow any compromise on this basic right of 240 million Pakistanis,” said Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir. He also declared that Pakistan would not accept what he described as “Indian hegemony.”
Also Read: PM Modi reviews flood crisis in northeast states
Follow us
