Pakistan’s “What if China stops Brahmaputra flow?” threat meets sharp response from Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday dismissed a recent threat from a Pakistani official suggesting that China could stop the flow of the Brahmaputra River into India. Sarma called it a new "scare tactic" from Islamabad and clarified that the river actually gains volume after entering Indian territory. He also pointed out that China contributes only about 30-35% of the Brahmaputra’s total flow.

This response came after Rana Ihsaan Afzal, a senior aide to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reportedly claimed that China might follow India’s lead in suspending the Indus Waters Treaty by cutting off the Brahmaputra’s waters to India.

Sarma called this claim “another manufactured threat” from Pakistan and took to X (formerly Twitter) to set the record straight.

He explained that the Brahmaputra’s flow increases once it enters India due to heavy monsoon rains across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. The majority of the river’s water—about 65-70%—comes from Indian rainfall and tributaries such as the Subansiri, Lohit, Kameng, Manas, Dhansiri, Jia-Bharali, and Kopili rivers, along with additional streams from the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills.

Sarma emphasized that the Brahmaputra is largely rain-fed within India and not heavily dependent on the water flowing from China. He added that even if China were to reduce water flow—which he said is unlikely since China has never officially threatened to do so—it could actually help India control the severe floods that displace thousands and cause widespread damage every year in Assam.

This development comes after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in April, following the Pahalgam terror attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently remarked that this move had put Pakistan under pressure.

Pakistan, however, remains firm on the issue, with its army chief, Asim Munir, declaring that “water is Pakistan’s red line” and warning against any compromise on the rights of its 240 million people.