On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that Shaksgam Valley is a part of Indian territory. The statement came amid recent reports that China is building infrastructure in the region that lies close to Siachen.
Shaksgam Belongs to India
“We have never accepted the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963 through which Pakistan unlawfully attempted to cede the area to China,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. The agreement Jaiswal refers to grants temporary control of the valley captured by Pakistan in 1947 to China till the Kashmir issue is resolved.
India Lodges Protest with China Over Infra Development in Shaksgam Valley#Diplomacy https://t.co/QprPGtpivu
— The Wire (@thewire_in) May 3, 2024
He further stated that India has consistently conveyed its rejection of the same, and mentioned that India has registered a protest with the Chinese side against illegal attempts to “alter facts on the ground.” Additionally, Jaiswal asserted that India further reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests.
Chinese Activity in Shaksgam
Reports have revealed that China has undertaken road construction activity close to the Shaksgam Valley. The valley is a part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and is strategically important for India.
The road, built through the Aghil Pass (4.805 metres), stretches into the lower Shaksgam Valley, which is merely 48km from Siachen. It runs through the Trans-Karakoram Tract, where any alteration of the status quo could be seen as an infringement upon the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Satellite imagery from the European Space Agency has revealed that infrastructure building work in the region started last year between June and August, and some construction was also observed this month. While the development has been doing rounds in Indian media recently, Pardafas, a Nepal-based online magazine, had reported on it last year.
India-China Talks
Commenting on the border issues with China during the briefing, Jaiswal said that diplomatic talks are ongoing between India and China, both at the military and diplomatic levels. “These issues are serious issues, and therefore, they take time. We will have the next round of engagements very soon to take things forward,” he said. The last round of talks between the two countries took place in February, when they agreed to maintain “peace and tranquillity” on the ground, but no breakthrough was achieved.
Recently, Indian PM Narendra Modi said that the two countries must urgently address the “prolonged situation” on their borders. Ties between the two nations have been at a historic low since the Galwan Valley clash in May 2020.
Since then, China has been increasingly belligerent, renaming villages in Arunachal Pradesh, building roads in PoK, and undertaking marine activities in the Indian Ocean. The two sides have yet to disengage from crucial points regarding Depsang and Demchok, and over 50,000 troops are currently stationed on the border.