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The Print
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
China is hypocritical on IWT. Just look at how it has maximised upstream water usage
But the threat, dramatic as it may sound, is both hollow and deeply ironic. India has yet to take any concrete steps toward abrogating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). China, however, has already jumped to Pakistan's defence, positioning itself as a guardian of international water-sharing norms. Yet Beijing's own conduct—marked by unilateralism, secrecy, and hypocrisy—is the opposite of the very norms it now claims to uphold. China has issued a sharp warning to India: If New Delhi unilaterally abrogates the Indus Waters Treaty and denies Pakistan its allocated share of water, Beijing could retaliate by leveraging upstream control over the Brahmaputra River, said Chinese strategic expert Victor Gao. A self-defeating threat China is indeed the upper riparian for several major rivers that flow into India, notably the Indus, Sutlej, and Brahmaputra. However, it's impossible for Beijing to 'turn off the tap'. Most of the water in these river systems doesn't originate from the Tibetan Plateau (which China controls) but comes from precipitation and tributaries within Indian territory. India is not wholly dependent on Chinese-origin flows, especially in the case of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej, where downstream contributions are substantial. Moreover, there is no literal 'tap' for China to turn off. It has already been maximising upstream water usage for years—unilaterally and without accountability. China has built extensive hydropower infrastructure across its river systems, often without informing or consulting downstream neighbours. There is no binding treaty between China and any lower riparian country—including India—to govern river-sharing or ensure predictable flows. In contrast, India and Pakistan have the IWT, one of the few functioning water-sharing treaties in the world. Take, for instance, the Indus River. China has constructed a dam near Demchok, in a region where the river crosses from Tibet into Ladakh. This is outside any treaty framework and certainly outside any formal water-sharing agreement. Ironically, the Indus has been allocated almost entirely to Pakistan under the IWT—yet here is China building a dam on it, without any transparency or consultative process. Even more revealing is the fact that if China does restrict the flow of the Indus and Brahmaputra, the countries that will suffer the most are Pakistan and Bangladesh. China's threat is not just hollow—it is potentially self-defeating. Making good on the threat would hurt its strategic partners in the region far more than it would harm India. Also read: Modi govt mishandled information war. CDS Chauhan's loss admission raises 2 big questions Signalling, not leverage China's track record on regional water cooperation does not inspire confidence. On the one hand, it invokes international law and equitable sharing in the context of the IWT. On the other, it refuses to join the Mekong River Commission. China has dammed the Mekong extensively, severely reducing water flows to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. This has led to reduced sediment loads, declining fish stocks, and increased vulnerability to droughts. The same pattern holds with the Brahmaputra. China has not consistently shared hydrological data on the river, despite earlier agreements to do so during flood seasons. Meanwhile, it is constructing a massive dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the upper stream of the Brahmaputra, which would be among the largest in the world. This project predates India's decision to hold the IWT in abeyance and has continued despite concerns raised by New Delhi and environmentalists around the globe. China's lack of transparency and disregard for downstream consequences reflects a broader approach: development first, accountability later. It prioritises hydropower generation and water security for itself, often at the expense of ecological balance and the rights of neighbouring countries. In fact, the impact of China's actions on the Tibetan Plateau is already being felt. Observers have noted increasingly erratic flows in rivers like the Sutlej and Indus over the past few years—likely a consequence of upstream Chinese infrastructure and water diversion. The notion that China is now 'threatening' India over water flows misses the point: it has already been reducing flows and consolidating control for years. A deeper analysis reveals the real motive behind this sabre-rattling. China is not warning India over a future hypothetical action—it is using the possibility of India reviewing the IWT as justification for what it has already been doing. This is not about enforcing a rules-based water order; it is about cloaking unilateralism in the garb of strategic retaliation. India must read the situation for what it is: geopolitical signalling, not a genuine threat of leverage. China's actions fit a broader pattern of asserting upstream control while denying the same right to others. In that sense, its current posturing is less about water and more about reinforcing alliances and projecting regional dominance. The IWT has held for decades, despite wars and hostilities. Any move India makes on the treaty should be based on its own interest, sustainability, and regional stability—not on pre-emptive threats made by a hypocritical neighbour. The author is an adjunct scholar at the Takshashila Institution. He tweets @YusufDFI. Views are personal. (Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
India Gazette
a day ago
- General
- India Gazette
"Results and how you act are important," CDS Gen Anil Chauhan clarifies position on losses during Op Sindoor
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 3 (ANI): Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan delivered a special lecture on 'Future Wars and Warfare' at Savitribai Phule University in Pune, Maharashtra. The CDS clarified the Armed Forces' position on losses faced during Operation Sindoor. Using a cricket analogy, the CDS said the results were more important. 'When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important. The results and how you act are important. It would not be very correct to talk about you go to a cricket test match, and you win by an innings defeat, then there's no question of how many wickets, how many balls and how many players... Based on technical parameters, we will take out this particular data and share it with you. We will tell you how many aircraft we destroyed and how many radars we destroyed. We'll make a rough assessment of that and come out with that shortly.' Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said CDS Chauhan said that the operations folded in eight hours, and Pakistan had to call for a ceasefire. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said, '...On the 10th of May, at about 1 am, their (Pakistan's) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours. Multiple attacks were launched, and in some manner, they have escalated this conflict, which we had hit only terror which they thought would continue for 48 hours, folded up in about 8 hours, and then they picked up the telephone and said they wanted to talk...' He said that the Pahalgam attack was the starting point of the war. Talking about terrorism, CDS Chauhan said, '...The whole starting point of this particular war was the Pahalgam terror attack. Is terrorism a rational act of warfare? I don't think that's because terrorism has no defined logic...' On Pakistan's attitude towards India, he added, 'As far as our adversary is concerned, it has decided to bleed India by a thousand 1965, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared a thousand-year war against India when he addressed the United Nations Security Council...' On May 7, the Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Sindoor, eliminating nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. In response, the Pakistani side attempted to target Indian defence and civil installations. India retaliated with precision strikes, destroying several Pakistan air bases. An understanding on the cessation of hostilities was reached on May 10. (ANI)
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Business Standard
a day ago
- General
- Business Standard
'Losses don't matter, action does': CDS Anil Chauhan on Operation Sindoor
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday said that losses were secondary to results and action, while speaking about India's retaliatory strike under Operation Sindoor. While addressing a special lecture at the Savitribai Phule University in Pune, CDS Chauhan said, "When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important." Giving a Test cricket analogy, CDS Chauhan said if someone wins by an innings, then there's no question of "how many wickets, how many balls and how many players". "The results and how you act are important. It would not be very correct to talk about losses," he said. On specifics of losses incurred by Pakistan, CDS Chauhan said, "Based on technical parameters, we will take out this particular data and share it with you. We will tell you how many aircraft and radars we destroyed. We'll make a rough assessment of that and come out with that shortly." #WATCH | Pune: On being asked about the losses incurred from Pakistan side during Operation Sindoor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan says, "When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important. The results and how you act are important. It… — ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2025 Last week, when the CDS was asked about the loss of Indian jets during the operation, he told Bloomberg TV that the Indian Air Force learned from its initial tactical errors. 'The good part is that we were able to understand the tactical mistakes which we made; remedied, rectified and then implemented it again after two days. We flew all our jets again targeting at long range,' he said. However, he categorically denied Pakistan's claims of downing six Indian jets, terming them as "absolutely incorrect". India launched 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The counterterror strike was India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 people. Pahalgam attack was profound cruelty: CDS Speaking about the Pahalgam attack, CDS Chauhan said the terror incident caused a huge "revulsion" and "hatred" in society. "What happened in Pahalgam was profound cruelty towards the victims because all of them were killed with head shots in front of their families and their children and they were shot in the name of religion... which is kind of unacceptable to this modern world. This caused a huge revulsion in the society. There was a kind of hatred. It revived memories because this was not a single act of terror against India," the CDS said. VIDEO | Pune: Delivering special lecture on the topic 'Future Wars and Warfare' organised Savitribai Phule Pune University, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, says, "What happened in Pahalgam was profound cruelty towards the victims because all of them were killed with… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 3, 2025 He further said that India has been a victim of maximum terror acts, in which almost 20,000 people have been killed. "The emotion which was being evoked in the people of India was of revenge, retribution, and to get the perpetrator to justice. At the end of it, there was probably some sort of satisfaction, and anxiety (during Operation Sindoor)," CDS Chauhan said.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘At 1 am on May 10…': CDS Chauhan reveals how India foiled Pakistan's ‘48 hour' plan
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday stated that Islamabad was the one to escalate the conflict with India when it launched a barrage of attacks on the night of May 10, three days after Indian military strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' that targetted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 'On the 10th of May, at about 1 am, their (Pakistan) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours. Multiple attacks were launched and in some manner, they have escalated this conflict, which we had actually hit only terror targets,' stated CDS Chauhan in an address at the Savitribai Phule Pune University. CDS Anil Chauhan further said that the operations, 'which Pakistan thought would continue for 48 hours, folded up in about eight hours.' On May 10, 2025, after a series of late night attacks launched by Pakistan, India thwarted and retaliated by targeting key airbases such as Nur Khan, Murid and Rafiqui across the neighbouring country. ALSO READ | 'Professional militaries not affected by losses': CDS Chauhan on Operation Sindoor Following these attacks and escalation, Pakistan's DGMO reached out to their Indian counterpart on the hotline, stating Islamabad was ready to talk. 'Pakistan's decision to talk to India on May 10 stemmed from realisation that it will suffer more if its operation continues. When request for talks and de-escalation came from Pakistan, we accepted it," said CDS Gen Chauhan. On the night of May 9-10, Pakistan escalated and intensified its attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). As per the statement issued by the Defence Ministry and External Affairs Ministry, Pakistan launched attacks cross 26 locations from Srinagar, J&K to Naliya, Gujarat. The attacks also targeted IAF stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj. Pakistan also targeted medical centres and schools at IAF bases in Srinagar, Udhampur and Awantipora. At 1:40 AM on May 10, Pakistan carried out a high-speed missile attack as part of its attempt to target airbases in Punjab, India. A majority of the attacks launched by Pakistan were thwarted by the Indian armed forces. In response to this escalation, India carried out precision attacks on Pakistani military bases, command centres, weapons sites and more. Some of the key air bases hit were Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian. Following this escalation, Pakistan reached out for talks with India to end hostilities and at 5 PM, both countries officially declared a ceasefire.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Outcome Is Important, Can't Dwell On Setbacks': CDS Chauhan Highlights Op Sindoor Success
CDS General Anil Chauhan stressed that professional military forces focus on outcomes, not setbacks, as he hailed the success of India's 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistan. Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, Anil Chauhan, on Tuesday said India cannot dwell on setbacks, and hailed the country's 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistan. Delivering a special lecture on 'Future Wars and Warfare' in Maharashtra's Pune, CDS Chauhan said the outcome of an act is important. 'Professional military forces are not affected by setbacks and losses," the CDS said, as he highlighted the success of India's strikes against Pakistan. 'Losses are not important, but outcomes are important," he added. 'War and warfare are synonyms with the political history of mankind. Warfare is as old as human civilisation. Any kind of war has two important elements in it- the violence and the politics behind the violence. The third element is communication, which is happening continuously," CDS Chauhan said. Also commenting on the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, CDS Chauhan refuted US President Donald Trump's claims of mediation and said, 'On May 10, at about 1 am, their (Pakistan) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours." 'Operations, which they thought would continue for 48 hours, folded up in about eight hours, and then they picked up the telephone and said they wanted to talk," he said. The discussions focused on enhancing military collaboration and interoperability to address evolving security challenges in the region, particularly in the backdrop of 'Operation Sindoor'. First Published: June 03, 2025, 14:47 IST
