
India, China & the Brahmaputra: Debunking Pakistan's new water war scare
Amid rising Indo-Pak tensions, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif warns that China could weaponise the Brahmaputra's waters after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. But is that really possible? In this Mo Explainer, we break down the facts. Featuring insights from Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh, VP – Development Studies, ORF.
#India #China #Brahmaputra #Pakistan #IndusWatersTreaty
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Today
43 minutes ago
- India Today
Elon Musk accuses Donald Trump of being named in Epstein files
23:42 The Indian delegation led by Shashi Tharoor met US Vice President J.D. Vance, securing a high-level meeting in Washington DC. The Pakistani delegation, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, made claims about terrorism which were refuted by Tharoor.


Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chenab railway bridge: While India lays tracks in Kashmir, Pakistan cancels development projects
India builds while Pakistan borrows Live Events Engineering the future: The Chenab Bridge Built to last Vande Bharat: Trains of the future (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Bridge on Friday, marking a landmark moment for Indian infrastructure. Standing 359 metres above the Chenab River, the bridge is now the highest railway arch bridge in the world. It is expected to soon carry the high-speed Vande Bharat trains between Katra and Srinagar — a first for the Kashmir a video shared on Instagram, the Prime Minister gave a brief glimpse of the newly completed structure, calling it 'a step towards Naya Kashmir.' The inauguration is seen as a major step in India's long-term effort to transform connectivity and development in Jammu and Kashmir, a region historically shaped by conflict and geographic timing of the inauguration is significant. As India opens a strategic railway line through the tough Himalayan terrain, neighbouring Pakistan faces a very different reality — one marked by loan dependency, budget cuts, and a growing economic this year, Pakistan secured an $800 million loan from the Asian Development Bank . This followed a $1 billion tranche from the International Monetary Fund, part of a broader $7 billion bailout programme. India has publicly opposed both, arguing the funds could be diverted to support terrorism rather than their intended development the same time, Pakistan has raised its defence budget by 18% to ₹2.5 trillion, citing increased tensions with India. According to India Today, the Pakistani government plans to cancel 118 development projects worth ₹1,000 billion (PKR), given that its total development allocation for the current fiscal year is only ₹880 billion (PKR).Indian officials have also pointed to Pakistan's falling tax-to-GDP ratio — from 13% in 2018 to just 9.2% in 2023 — as an indicator of growing economic risk and weak revenue Chenab Bridge is a central part of the 272-kilometre-long Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL), a major infrastructure project estimated to cost ₹44,000 crore. The line includes 36 tunnels and 943 bridges and is designed to fully integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian rail particular bridge lies between the Kauri and Bakkal sections of the USBRL. It connects remote areas and offers year-round rail access to the Kashmir Valley — a significant shift for both civilian travel and military also inaugurated the Anji Bridge , India's first cable-stayed railway bridge, from which the broader USBRL project was Chenab Bridge is not just symbolic — it is a feat of modern engineering. Built using 28,000 tonnes of steel and 66,000 cubic metres of concrete, the bridge is designed to endure the extremes of its mountain construction employed 'Tekla Technology', a digital design platform that allowed for high precision in both design and execution. The structure can withstand winds of up to 260 km/h, survive earthquakes up to magnitude 8, and is blast-resistant. Engineers estimate its operational lifespan to be around 120 addition to the bridge, Prime Minister Modi is also launching two Vande Bharat trains — currently India's fastest. These trains can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h and operate at an average of 130 km/h. By contrast, Pakistan's fastest train tops out at 105 km/ addition of these trains to the newly completed rail corridor underscores India's focus on high-speed, high-impact infrastructure — a vision that stands in sharp contrast to the financial and development setbacks being reported across the border.


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
‘This shouldn't be allowed': Shashi Tharoor's son questions him at diplomatic meet in Washington; netizens call him a ‘classic Indian dad'
In a striking moment of warmth and wit during India's diplomatic mission in Washington DC, following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had an unexpected exchange – not with a foreign diplomat, but with his own son. As Tharoor addressed a packed room of journalists, foreign policy wonks, and diplomats, a voice from the audience caught his attention. It was his son Ishaan Tharoor, a global affairs columnist with The Washington Post. With a grin and a hint of mock protest, Tharoor said, 'That shouldn't be allowed. This is my son,' drawing laughter from the crowd. Ishaan, clearly amused, introduced himself with dry humour: 'Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post. Definitely asking a question in a personal capacity. Mostly to say hi before you go off to your next engagement.' As Ishaan picked up the mic, his father couldn't help but slip into dad mode, gesturing for him to lift it higher – a scene instantly relatable to any Indian household. Then came the real question – pointed, and professional. Ishaan asked whether any foreign governments had demanded proof of Pakistan's involvement in the Pahalgam attack. Shashi, unfazed, replied with a chuckle, 'I'm very glad you raised this, Ishaan. I didn't plant it. I promise you. This guy does this to his dad.' A post shared by Asian News International (@ani_trending) On a serious note, Shashi clarified that 'no one had any doubt,' and said India wasn't asked for evidence by any of the governments they had engaged with, although 'two or three' media outlets did raise the question. 'India would not have done this without convincing evidence,' he asserted. He backed his claim with familiar patterns – pointing to a '37-year legacy' of cross-border terrorism and consistent Pakistani denials, from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to the discovery of Osama bin Laden near a Pakistani military compound. 'They will dispatch terrorists, they will deny they did so until they're actually caught with red hands,' he said. The veteran parliamentarian also pushed back against suggestions of American mediation. Referring to past US claims of brokering peace between India and Pakistan, he made it clear that New Delhi wasn't interested in playing along. 'Mediation is not a term that we are particularly willing to entertain,' he said. 'You're implying an equivalence which simply doesn't exist… There is no equivalence between terrorists and their victims.' Shashi acknowledged calls of concern from high-level US officials following the attack but noted that if Washington was truly working the phones, it was Pakistan that needed the persuasion. The moment between father and son – candid, intelligent, and classically Indian – quickly made its way across social media, with netizens having a field day. One user called it a 'Classic Indian dad' moment, while another wrote, 'Raise your mike — just parent things.' A cricket fan weighed in with, 'Arjun Tendulkar bowling to Sachin Tendulkar.' And someone else summed it up with perfect desi flair: 'Beta ek numberi, baap dus numberi.'