India on Friday accused China of not sharing hydrological data on the Brahmaputra river since May 15, The Indian Express reported. This was a violation of a 2013 pact, and providing the information could have helped the country deal with the floods in Assam and Bihar, New Delhi said.
The floods in Assam have killed 123 people, and affected 33.45 lakh across 24 districts of the state. Meanwhile, 2,970 villages are under water and 1.43 lakh hectares of crops have been destroyed. Similarly, in Bihar more than 100 people have died.
Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the hydrological data was last shared in June 2016. The data is shared every year between May 15 and October 15.
However, he added that it was probably because of a technical reason, and not necessarily because of the Sikkim standoff. India and China have been locked in a diplomatic dispute for months now. Both nations have maintained that troops from the other country had transgressed into their territory in the Sikkim sector’s Doklam area. Bilateral ties have been strained since the Indian Army stopped China from constructing a road in the region. New Delhi has made it clear that it will not allow China to construct a motorable road up to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction through the Doklam plateau.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!