‘Even If China Cuts Brahmaputra Flow…’: CM Himanta Sarma Counters Pakistan’s Claim

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly dismissed Pakistan’s warning that China could weaponise the Brahmaputra river against India, saying such a move would actually help mitigate floods in Assam rather than harm the state.

Sarma’s remarks came after a senior aide of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised concerns about India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and speculated that China, as Islamabad’s “all-weather friend”, could retaliate by restricting water flow into the Brahmaputra.

In a post on X, Sarma rejected the suggestion as a “manufactured threat”, stressing that China contributes only around 30–35% of the Brahmaputra’s total water flow. The remaining 65–70%, he noted, is generated from rainfall and tributaries within India.

“The Brahmaputra is not a river India depends on upstream. It is a rain-fed Indian river system, strengthened after entering Indian territory,” Sarma posted.

“If China reduces the Brahmaputra’s flow, it may actually help Assam by reducing the scale of floods we suffer every year,” he added.

The Brahmaputra originates in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo, entering India through Arunachal Pradesh before flowing through Assam and into Bangladesh, where it is known as the Jamuna.

Sarma’s rebuttal follows India’s recent decision to move away from the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The move has prompted sharp reactions from Islamabad, with concerns that New Delhi might increasingly use water diplomacy in its geopolitical toolkit.

The Chief Minister’s statement also addressed growing public interest and speculation regarding upstream river control by China. However, Sarma reiterated that the river’s hydrology was largely dictated by rainfall in the Indian subcontinent.

The Brahmaputra, one of India’s major rivers, causes devastating floods in Assam nearly every year, displacing thousands. Various projects have been proposed to manage and harness its flow effectively.

Concerns over China’s potential control of upstream flow have often been raised in Indian strategic circles, especially amid tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, experts have pointed out that due to the river’s topography and internal contributions, large-scale manipulation by China would have limited impact downstream.