NEW DELHI: India on Friday strongly opposed Chinese infrastructure activity in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Shaksgam Valley, reiterating that the strategically sensitive region is Indian territory and warning against any attempts to alter facts on the ground.
Responding to queries, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi has never recognised the 1963 so-called China–Pakistan “Boundary Agreement,” under which Pakistan illegally ceded the Shaksgam Valley to China.
“Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China–Pakistan ‘Boundary Agreement’ signed in 1963. We have consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid,” Jaiswal said.
India’s remarks follow reports that China is constructing a long all-weather road in the Shaksgam Valley, located north of the Siachen Glacier and close to areas of major strategic importance for Indian forces.
According to reports, nearly 75 kilometres of the road, estimated to be around 10 metres wide, has already been completed, with construction continuing at a rapid pace.
The MEA said that India also does not recognise the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project, as it passes through Indian territory under Pakistan’s “forcible and illegal occupation.”
“We have consistently protested with the Chinese side against attempts to alter the ground reality in Shaksgam Valley,” Jaiswal said. “The entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India. This has been clearly conveyed to Pakistani and Chinese authorities several times.”
He added that India “reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests,” signalling continued diplomatic and strategic vigilance over developments in the region.
On broader regional security, the MEA said India is closely monitoring Chinese military exercises near Taiwan, stressing New Delhi’s stake in stability across the Indo-Pacific. “We have an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region in view of our significant trade, economic, people-to-people, and maritime interests,” Jaiswal said, urging all parties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral actions, and resolve disputes through peaceful means without the threat or use of force.
Separately, India also expressed concern over the situation of minorities in Bangladesh, citing a “disturbing pattern” of recurring attacks on minority communities, their homes, and businesses.
“We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities by extremists,” the MEA spokesperson said, adding that attempts to explain such incidents away as personal or political disputes only embolden perpetrators and deepen fear and insecurity among vulnerable communities.
India called for such communal incidents to be dealt with “swiftly and firmly,” underscoring its expectation that Bangladesh ensure the safety and security of all its citizens.