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India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Can China turn off India's tap, hit land formation?
It's impossible that anyone who has taken a train to Guwahati and crossed the Saraighat Bridge hasn't been left amazed by the width of the Brahmaputra. It looks like a sea. Just to imagine that the mighty Brahmaputra gushes as a stream, called Yarlung Tsangpo, in Tibet is unimaginable for millions of Indians. But that's the fact and the visual answer to the question -- can China turn the Brahmaputra tap off for India?advertisementThe idea that China, being the upper riparian country, might be capable of controlling the flow of the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river system was brought up by Pakistan after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).That scare-mongering was promptly addressed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. But what do research data and experts suggest? Can China block or divert the flow of Yarlung Tsangpo and hit India's water supply? Diverting the flow of a high-sediment river like the Brahmaputra won't be just about the water, it would also hit soil formation downstream."If India does something like this that they stop the flow [of rivers] to Pakistan, then China can also do the same thing," Rana Ihsaan Afzal, a senior aide to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told Geo News on May remarks caused some consternation given the fact that China is constructing the 60,000-MW Medong Dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo at the Great Bend, near the India-China rule out any possibility of China blocking or diverting water, and say a bigger worry should be that the massive dam -- one of the biggest in the world -- is coming up in a calamity-prone area in China-controlled Nilanjan Ghosh, who has studied the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River System for close to two decades, says that it has never been China's position to block the flow of the Brahmaputra, albeit it aims to build run-of-the-river dams."Any attempt to divert the flow would be counterproductive as it would result in upstream floods because of sediment accumulation," Ghosh, Vice President, Development Studies at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), tells India Today expert says China won't be able to "turn off the tap" as the Brahmaputra is primarily a rain- and tributary-fed river, and the Yarlung Tsangpo contributes just 10-15% of the entire volume of the Brahmaputra's water."The Brahmaputra gets fatter and fatter as it moves downstream," says Ghosh. China contributes only a small portion of the Brahmaputra's total water. As the river flows through India, its volume increases more than six times due to several tributaries joining in. (Image: Arun Uniyal/India Today) In January this year, Ghosh and fellow researcher, Sayanangshu Modak, published a research paper in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Water Resources Development where they used hydrological data to junk the rhetoric around China being capable of turning the Brahmaputra tap collated over the years show that the discharge of the Yarlung Tsangpo, measured at Nuxia in Tibet, to be at 31.2 billion cubic meters (BCM) annually, which then swells to an estimated 78.1 BCM as it passes through the Great Bend and exits the measuring station at Pandu in Guwahati, the Brahmaputra's annual discharge is 526 BCM, showing a six-fold volume increase. At Bahadurabad, in Bangladesh, which is just across the border with India, the annual discharge is 606 shows that since the river's entry into India, the Brahmaputra has been fed by its tributaries to grow Brahmaputra has shaped Assam for centuries by carving out banks and creating shape-shifting islands. It has caused flooding woes, but has also left behind life-sustaining fertile Majuli island on the Brahmaputra is the world's biggest riverine island, and has been at the heart of neo-Vaishnavism, spearheaded by Srimanta Sankaradeva. The Vaishnavite satras (monastries) in Majuli have been centres of cultural and art for the one-horned rhino, the twin-leaf tea buds and the xorai and gamusa, the Brahmaputra has become a marker for Assam's civilisational identity."Mahabahu Brahmaputra" is how legendary Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika refers to the mighty river in one of his ever-popular songs, which tells the story of the land it BRAHMAPUTRA FLOODS SUGGESTOriginating in the Angsi Glacier in western Tibet, the Yarlung Tsangpo travels 1,625 km in the China-controlled territory of Tibet and enters India after the Great Bend near the Namcha Barwa peak. Then, as the Brahmaputra, it flows for 918 km within India and another 337 km in Bangladesh, where it is called Jamuna, and empties into the Bay of length of the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra system in Tibet gives the perception that it is a major river with a huge water volume in agrees with Himanta Biswa Sarma's analysis of the Brahmaputra but calculates the Tsangpo's water contribution to the Brahmaputra at much lower than the 30-35% pegged by the Assam chief expert says though the river system completes 56% of its run in China, it contributes just 15% of the water in its boundary."That is why some literature suggests the Yarlung Tsangpo to be a tributary of the Brahmaputra," Ghosh tells India Today is believed that the Brahmaputra was actually formed at Sadia in eastern Assam after the merger of three rivers -- the Dihang (Siang), Lohit and Dibang."So, I don't think that, given these hydrological facts, there will be any substantial impact on India, even if China blocks the flow of Tsangpo," says Ghosh. The Brahmaputra in Assam gains significant volume of water as it flows parallel to the Himalayan foothills and is fed by many snowmelt tributaries such as the Subansiri, Kameng, and Kameng rivers.(Image: Arun Uniyal/India Today) advertisementDerek J Grossman, a national security and Indo-Pacific analyst with Rand Corporation, says Pakistan cannot count on China to turn off the tap as monsoons feed the Brahmaputra."China has little control over the water flow of the Brahmaputra River, according to Indian government officials. One reason is that monsoons are the primary source of water. Another is that Beijing can only halt roughly 30 percent of the flow. Pakistan can't count on China," says one should remember, is a cold desert with very little precipitation. It is the glaciers that give birth to the rivers India, the Brahmaputra has been linked with devastating annual floods, which are a result of the water drained into it by over two dozen tributaries in the monsoon – the town where experts argue that the Brahmaputra is formed – is the town where Bhupen Hazarika was born, and a good part of it was engulfed by the Brahmaputra as it changed course after the earthquake in rebukes the Brahmaputra, referring to it as Burha Luit, in one of his songs, for flowing silently, deaf to the wails of the numerous people on its banks. "...Burha Luit tumi boa kiyo (Why do you flow)," he BLOCKING OF BRAHMAPUTRA FLOW WON'T HIT SOIL FORMATIONExperts have suggested that the Brahmaputra is an antecedent river that is older than the the Brahmaputra, in its age-old wisdom, flows silently, taking away land, like in Sadia, the sediment it carries is crucial to soil from the perspective of soil formation and fertility, China's blocking of the Yarlung-Tsangpo wouldn't impact to the 2016 book -- River morphodynamics and stream ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau -- by Chinese experts, the annual suspended sediment load of the Yarlung-Tsangpo near Nuxia in Tibet is around 30 million metric tonnes (mmt), much lower than the 735 mmt of sediment load at Bahadurabad in stream-like Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet cannot carry the sediment load, and it is the powerful Brahmaputra that does the heavy-lifting of the sediment load not just in India but to form the fertile Jamuna floodplain in average width of the Brahmaputra is 5.46 km, according to the Assam Water Resources website. In areas where it forms a braided system due to sediment deposition, the width extends to up to 18 km. Satellite images show the Yarlung Tsangpo (top) in Tibet as a narrow, fast-flowing river cutting through the plateau, while in the Assam plains the Brahmaputra (bottom) spreads out and swells into braided channels, often accommodating islands as large as Majuli and the one with the Dibru-Saikhowa National The scale of the two images is not uniform, and they are presented only for visual comparison, not to exact proportions. (Image: Google Maps) INDUS WATERS TREATY SUSPENSION AND CHINA'S DAMSThe Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that India kept in abeyance after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack is very different from the treaty that India has with China on the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra the IWT is a water-sharing treaty under which India gave the rights to water use of the western rivers of the Indus Rivers System to India, the pact with China on Yarlung-Brahmaputra is just for sharing of information, and not China could do worst is stop sharing hydrological data with India, but even that won't matter much, according to Ghosh."India has an MoU with China for hydrological data from three stations [in China]. Even if China stops sharing data, it won't matter because the information isn't helping much anyway due to the wrong choice of stations [agreed on] by the Indian government at the beginning of the millennia," he tells India Today says no one should draw parallels between the Indus Water System and the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra River System because of the difference in the nature of the two."The Indus System is largely fed by glacial and ice melt. It has around 45% to 55% normalised melting index (NMI). While the contribution of glacial and ice melt of the Brahmaputra is barely 10-12%," says this means is that the bulk of the water in the Indus River System is added upstream, which isn't true in the case of the Yarlung-Brahmaputra. While India has the advantage of being the upper riparian state in the case of the Indus system, China doesn't enjoy that in the case of the Pakistan, an agrarian economy, is completely dependent on the Indus River System for its agriculture and power generation, India, according to Ghosh, barely taps 25% of the renewable water flow of the while Pakistan might love to believe that its "all-weather friend" China might be able to turn the tap off on India and hurt it, this isn't true going by the hydrological and meteorological Brahmaputra has historically been associated with Assam's resilience. The Saraighat rail bridge that one uses to travel to Guwahati is a reminder of was the crucial Battle of Saraighat, led by legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, on the Brahmaputra that led to the defeat of the Mughal forces and the end of the siege of Brahmaputra nurtures Assam. It is formed in Sadia and China cannot weaponise its waters against India.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Las Vegas Sands drops bid to open $4B casino complex at Nassau Coliseum site
Las Vegas Sands has withdrawn its planned bid to open a $4 billion casino complex at the site of the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The gaming giant's announcement Wednesday caught some casino industry insiders by surprise. 'Crazy,' one industry source said. Sands had the strong political support of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and the Republican-run legislature — but there was some hard-core opposition led by nearby Hofstra University and residents living near the Nassau Coliseum hub in Uniondale. 'Hofstra University is pleased with Las Vegas Sand's decision to abandon their application for a license to build a casino at the Nassau Coliseum. Over the past 90 years, Hofstra has been deeply invested in the future of this region, and we are eager to be a part of planning for development in the Nassau Hub that would promote, sustainable economic growth, enhance the quality of life for all who live and work here, and serve the true needs of Nassau County and Long Island,' Susan Poser, Hofstra University President, said in a statement to The Post. In a statement, Sands said it wanted to focus its financial resources elsewhere and expressed concern about legislation introduced in New York to legalize internet or i-Gaming. 'For Las Vegas Sands, we believe the highest and best use of our capital in the near term is to purchase Las Vegas Sands and Sands China shares,' the gaming company said. 'Accordingly, Sands has decided not to bid for a casino license in New York.' While headquartered in Vegas, all of Sands' gambling operations are in Asia — with five in China-controlled Macao and one in Singapore. Sands' withdrawal comes at a time of a tariff war between the US and China, putting the gaming giant in a difficult position with so much of its business dependent on licenses overseen by the communist country, one industry source said. Last April, a top Sands Casino official ripped New York gaming regulators for a 'confusing' years-long review process to bid for a casino license. Las Vegas Sands was founded by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a major Republican donor who died in 2021. His family still owns the gaming company. The state gaming commission is expected to approve up to three casino licenses in the New York City region by year's end. Sands has entered into a lease arrangement with Nassau County to build a casino-entertainment complex at the Nassau Coliseum hub. In its statement, the company said it would try to 'secure an agreement' from a third party to bid for a casino at the site. Blakeman said he will see if another developer wants to develop the Coliseum site — with or without a casino. 'County Executive Blakeman has been aware of certain pressures that have factored into Las Vegas Sands' rethinking of land-based brick and mortar casinos in the United States. The County Executive is grateful that Las Vegas Sands is committed to the development of the Coliseum site with or without a casino,' a spokesman for Blakeman said. 'There is strong interest from gaming organizations, which have been in confidential discussions with Nassau County in taking the place of Las Vegas Sands in the licensing application process. Nassau County will crystallize within the next 30 days whether or not to entertain a casino component or develop the site without. 'In either event, there will be an exciting new development that will create jobs and positive economic activity,' the rep added. Sands' exit could boost the odds of other bidders bordering Nassau, including Mets owner Steve Cohen's plan with Hard Rock to open an $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field, and the Genting Resorts World slots parlor at Aqueduct race track, which is seeking to obtain a gaming license to offer table games. Among the other bidders vying for a gaming license include the Wynn NYC- Related Companies casino proposal for Hudson Yards; SL Green/Caesar's Entertainment/Jay-Z Roc Nation pitch in Times Square; Thor Equities consortium's push to erect a casino in Coney Island and Bally's proposed casino next to its golf course in the Bronx's Ferry Point.
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
US shifting Africa strategy to 'trade, not aid', envoy says
A general view of the Container Terminal at the port in Durban, South Africa, April 10, 2025. Image: REUTERS/Rogan Ward/File Photo US envoys in Africa will be rated on commercial deals struck, not aid spent, a senior State Department official said, touting it as the new strategy for US support on the continent. President Donald Trump's administration wants to eliminate trade deficits, and drive mutual prosperity, African Affairs senior bureau official Troy Fitrell said, according to remarks shared on Thursday. "Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals," he added at the launch of the policy in Ivory Coast on Wednesday. US ambassadors in Africa had already shepherded 33 agreements worth $6 billion in Trump's first 100 days, Fitrell said. "Trade, not aid, a slogan we've seen thrown around for years, is now truly our policy for Africa." US goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa amount to less than 1% of total US trade, according to US think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Despite Trump's aggressive spending cuts, Washington has pledged a $550 million loan for the Lobito rail corridor, a shortcut for copper and cobalt from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola's Atlantic port, bypassing China-controlled routes. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The US is keen to counter both Chinese and Russian influence on the continent, particularly over minerals and trade. In one of China's latest deals on the continent, a $652m loan agreement was agreed with Nigeria through the Exim bank for a highway feeding the new Lekki port and Dangote refinery. The US has set six targets to be met before the next US-Africa Leaders Summit later this year, the envoy said. They include to make commercial diplomacy a core mission, push priority countries to enact business-friendly reforms and back "bankable" infrastructure not "vanity projects". It also wants to embark on more business-only diplomatic trips, match export-ready US firms with African ventures and overhaul financing tools to offer faster and more risk-tolerant blended funding. Global aid groups have widely criticised the US for slashing aid funds to Africa, which they say is costing lives of the most needy. REUTERS
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US shifting Africa strategy to 'trade, not aid', envoy says
By Colleen Goko JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -U.S. envoys in Africa will be rated on commercial deals struck, not aid spent, a senior State Department official said, touting it as the new strategy for U.S. support on the continent. President Donald Trump's administration wants to eliminate trade deficits and drive mutual prosperity, African Affairs senior bureau official Troy Fitrell said, according to remarks shared on Thursday. "Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals," he added at the launch of the policy in Ivory Coast on Wednesday. U.S. ambassadors in Africa had already shepherded 33 agreements worth $6 billion in Trump's first 100 days, Fitrell said. "Trade, not aid, a slogan we've seen thrown around for years, is now truly our policy for Africa." U.S. goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa amount to less than 1% of total U.S. trade, according to U.S. think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Despite Trump's aggressive spending cuts, Washington has pledged a $550 million loan for the Lobito rail corridor, a shortcut for copper and cobalt from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola's Atlantic port, bypassing China-controlled routes. The U.S. is keen to counter both Chinese and Russian influence on the continent, particularly over minerals and trade. In one of China's latest deals on the continent, a $652 million loan agreement was agreed with Nigeria through the Exim bank for a highway feeding the new Lekki port and Dangote refinery. The U.S. has set six targets to be met before the next U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit later this year, the envoy said. They include to make commercial diplomacy a core mission, push priority countries to enact business-friendly reforms and back "bankable" infrastructure not "vanity projects". It also wants to embark on more business-only diplomatic trips, match export-ready U.S. firms with African ventures and overhaul financing tools to offer faster and more risk-tolerant blended funding. Global aid groups have widely criticised the U.S. for slashing aid funds to Africa, which they say is costing lives of the most needy.
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US shifting Africa strategy to 'trade, not aid', envoy says
JOHANNESBURG, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. envoys in Africa will be rated on commercial deals struck, not aid spent, a senior State Department official said, touting it as the new strategy for U.S. support on the continent. President Donald Trump's administration wants to eliminate trade deficits, opens new tab and drive mutual prosperity, African Affairs senior bureau official Troy Fitrell said, according to remarks shared on Thursday. "Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals," he added at the launch of the policy in Ivory Coast on Wednesday. U.S. ambassadors in Africa had already shepherded 33 agreements worth $6 billion in Trump's first 100 days, Fitrell said. "Trade, not aid, a slogan we've seen thrown around for years, is now truly our policy for Africa." U.S. goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa amount to less than 1% of total U.S. trade, according to U.S. think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Despite Trump's aggressive spending cuts, Washington has pledged a $550 million loan for the Lobito rail corridor, a shortcut for copper and cobalt from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola's Atlantic port, bypassing China-controlled routes. The U.S. is keen to counter both Chinese and Russian influence on the continent, particularly over minerals and trade. In one of China's latest deals on the continent, a $652 million loan agreement was agreed with Nigeria through the Exim bank for a highway feeding the new Lekki port and Dangote refinery. The U.S. has set six targets to be met before the next U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit later this year, the envoy said. They include to make commercial diplomacy a core mission, push priority countries to enact business-friendly reforms and back "bankable" infrastructure not "vanity projects". It also wants to embark on more business-only diplomatic trips, match export-ready U.S. firms with African ventures and overhaul financing tools to offer faster and more risk-tolerant blended funding. Global aid groups have widely criticised the U.S. for slashing aid funds to Africa, which they say is costing lives of the most needy.
