CAN CHINA CHOKE BRAHMAPUTRA'S FLOW?

As India re-evaluates its water diplomacy with Pakistan, China has entered the discussion with a subtle warning.

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Victor Zhikai Gao, a senior Chinese policy advisor, cautioned, “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done to you,” suggesting that Beijing holds strategic influence over the Brahmaputra, a river vital to India's water security.

This warning, which comes on the heels of India suspending the Indus Water Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack, highlights increasing concerns about China's influence upstream and its potential effects on the region's delicate water balance. Central to this geopolitical tension is the Brahmaputra River, which begins at the Angsi Glacier in Tibet, flows through India, and eventually reaches Bangladesh. In China, it is referred to as the Yarlung Tsangpo, while in Arunachal Pradesh, it is known as the Siang. The river is famous for its breathtaking natural bend around Namcha Barwa before it descends into India.