India opposes China’s infra push in Shaksgam valley, says it’s Indian territory

NEW DELHI: India on Friday opposed China’s infrastructure development projects in the Shaksgam valley and said it has the right to take measures to safeguard its interests as the region is Indian territory.

“Shaksgam valley is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement signed in 1963,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing.

“We have consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid. We also do not recognise the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Indian territory that is under forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to a question about Chinese infrastructure development in the Shaksgam Tract, which includes the Shaksgam valley and covers 5,200 sq km north of the Karakoram watershed, illegally occupied by China since 1963. The region was earlier occupied by Pakistan since 1947 before Islamabad illegally ceded it to Beijing. Shaksgam valley is claimed by India as part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

A few years ago, satellite images suggested that the Chinese side built a road that entered the lower part of the Shaksgam valley and reached a location less than 50 km from the Siachen glacier, which is held by India.

Jaiswal said the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are an “integral and inalienable” part of India. “This has been clearly conveyed to Pakistani and Chinese authorities several times,” he said.

“We have consistently protested with the Chinese side against attempts to alter the ground reality in Shaksgam valley. We further reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests.”

Jaiswal responded to another question about massive Chinese military exercises near Taiwan, saying that India wants all parties concerned to exercise restraint.

“India closely follows developments across the Indo-Pacific region. We have an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region in view of our significant trade, economy, people-to-people and maritime interests,” he said.

“We urge all concerned parties to exercise restraint, eschew unilateral action and resolve all issues through peaceful means without threat or use of force,” he said.

On the issue of recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland by some countries, Jaiswal said that India has “longstanding ties with Somalia”.

“We continue to underline the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” he said.

Somalia has maintained that Somaliland is an integral part of Somali territory. Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent nation last month, prompting concerns in Somalia.