Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday firmly rejected Pakistan’s recent claim that India could face a water crisis if China blocked the Brahmaputra River. He labelled the speculation a “baseless attempt” to instil fear over an unrealistic scenario.
In a detailed post on X, Mr Sarma responded to the question, “What if China stops the Brahmaputra’s water to India?”, by presenting hydrological facts that challenge the very basis of the argument. “Let’s dismantle this myth, not with fear, but with facts and national clarity,” he said.
India Generates Majority of Brahmaputra’s Water
Mr Sarma clarified that the Brahmaputra is a rain-fed river system that actually expands in India, not one that shrinks due to upstream control. He cited data showing that China’s contribution to the river’s flow is limited to just 30–35%, primarily from glacial melt and modest rainfall over Tibet. In contrast, India contributes a massive 65–70% of the river’s volume via the Northeast’s monsoon rainfall and numerous tributaries.
He explained that while the flow at Tuting (near the Indo-China border) ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 cubic metres per second, it surges to between 15,000 and 20,000 cubic metres per second once the river reaches Assam during the monsoon season. “The Brahmaputra is not a river India depends on upstream. It is a rain-fed Indian river system, strengthened after entering Indian territory,” Mr Sarma stated.
China’s Threat Hypothetical, Flood Risk Higher Concern
The Chief Minister emphasized that even if China were to reduce water flow—an unlikely move that has never been officially threatened—it might actually help mitigate Assam’s annual flooding crisis that affects thousands of lives.
He dismissed the water scare as speculative fiction. “Brahmaputra is not controlled by a single source. It is powered by our geography, our monsoon, and our civilisational resilience,” he added.
Pakistan’s Panic Over Water Sovereignty
Mr Sarma also took aim at Pakistan, suggesting that its alarmist claims reflect its discomfort with India asserting its water rights. “The country, which has long benefited from the Indus Waters Treaty, is now ‘panicking’ as India reclaims its rightful water sovereignty,” he said.
