Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has firmly rebutted a water-related fear narrative being circulated by Pakistan regarding the Brahmaputra River. The controversy stems from a social media claim warning, ‘What if China stops the Brahmaputra’s water to India?’ – a scenario Sarma dismissed as hypothetical and unfounded.
Responding to the claim in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sarma called for a rational, fact-based understanding of the river’s hydrology. He emphasized that the Brahmaputra gains volume significantly after entering India and is not heavily dependent on water flow from China.
“Let’s dismantle this myth, not with fear, but with facts and national clarity. Brahmaputra is not controlled by a single source – it is powered by our geography, our monsoon, and our civilisational resilience,” Sarma stated, urging people to rely on data rather than speculation.
The CM’s response came after a senior aide to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif suggested that China might use the Brahmaputra as a strategic tool against India, referencing New Delhi’s decision to suspend parts of the Indus Waters Treaty.
In a strongly worded rebuttal, Sarma labelled Pakistan’s claims a “manufactured threat,” highlighting that the Brahmaputra is not sourced from a single origin under China’s control. He clarified that only 30–35 per cent of the river’s total flow originates from China, primarily through glacial melt and some rainfall in Tibet. The remaining 65–70 per cent, he noted, is generated within India through monsoon rains, tributary contributions, and inflows from the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills.
Sarma’s fact-driven response aims to calm public concerns and counter any geopolitical fear-mongering with scientific clarity and data.
“The Brahmaputra is not a river India depends on upstream – it is a rain-fed Indian river system, strengthened after entering Indian territory. The Truth that Pakistan should know – Even if China were to reduce water flow (unlikely as China has never threatened or indicated in any official forum), it may actually help India mitigate the annual floods in Assam, which displace lakhs and destroy livelihoods every year. Meanwhile, Pakistan – which has exploited 74 years of preferential water access under the Indus Waters Treaty – now panics as India rightfully reclaims its sovereign rights,” the CM further added.
