Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has firmly rebutted fears stemming from Pakistan’s claim that China could weaponize the Brahmaputra’s water flow into India. In a strongly-worded statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Sarma dismantled the “scare narrative,” calling it both misleading and irrelevant in the context of India’s hydro-geographical realities.
Sarma emphasized that China contributes only 30-35% to the Brahmaputra’s total water volume—primarily from glacial melt and limited rainfall in Tibet. The lion’s share—65-70%—is generated within Indian territory, thanks to torrential monsoon rains and robust tributary networks across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.
“Even if China were to reduce water flow (which is unlikely, as China has never issued such a threat), it might actually help mitigate Assam’s devastating annual floods,” the Chief Minister said.
This clarification comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Pakistan had raised concerns about China obstructing Brahmaputra waters as retaliation.
This comes shortly after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan post the Pahalgam terror attack—rattling Pakistan, which now fears India asserting its water rights.
However, Sarma pointed to hard data: when the river (known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet) enters India at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, its flow is between 2,000-3,000 cubic meters per second. By the time it reaches Guwahati, the flow swells to 15,000-20,000 cubic meters per second during the monsoon—highlighting the dominance of Indian monsoon-fed inflows.
The Chief Minister noted that major tributaries such as the Subansiri, Lohit, Kameng, Manas, and Dhansiri, along with rivers from the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills, substantially enrich the Brahmaputra within Indian borders.
Sarma concluded by reminding detractors:
“The Brahmaputra is not a river India depends on upstream. It’s powered by our geography, our monsoon, and our civilisational resilience.”
His comments come as Assam grapples with rivers breaching danger levels and floods affecting parts of the Northeast, once again underlining the region’s complex water dynamics.
As Assam battles floodwaters yet again, his message brings clarity, confidence, and a dash of calm.
