NEW DELHI: Amidst reports of China making roads and developing infrastructure in the Shaksgam Valley, India has reaffirmed that the area is part of its territory. India has also raised a protest with China over the construction.
"The Shaksgam Valley is a part of the Indian territory. We have never accepted the so-called China Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 through which Pakistan has unlawfully attempted to cede the area to China. We have registered our protest with the Chinese side against illegal attempts to alter facts on the ground," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
India has reaffirmed that it reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests.
Following the Galwan clashes in 2020, India has reiterated that bilateral ties cannot be normalised without restoration of peace along the LAC.
The Shaksgam tract (which includes the Shaksgam Valley) is an area of 5,200 sq km north of the Karakoram watershed that has been illegally occupied by China since 1963. It was earlier occupied by Pakistan since 1947.
Recent satellite images have revealed that China has built a road that is close to the lower part of the Shaksgam Valley which is merely 50 km from the Siachen glacier, which is under India’s control. Reports indicate that the work on developing infrastructure began last year. Some renewed construction activity was noticed this month.