India on Friday objected to China’s infrastructure development activities in the Shaksgam Valley, asserting that the area is Indian territory and that New Delhi reserves the right to take steps to protect its interests.
“Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement signed in 1963,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly media briefing.
He reiterated that India considers the agreement “illegal and invalid” and does not recognise the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which he said passes through Indian territory under Pakistan’s “forcible and illegal occupation”.
Jaiswal was responding to queries on Chinese infrastructure projects in the Shaksgam Tract, including the Shaksgam Valley — a 5,200 sq km area north of the Karakoram watershed that has been under Chinese control since 1963. The region was previously occupied by Pakistan after 1947 before being illegally ceded to China, and is claimed by India as part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Satellite imagery from recent years has indicated that China has constructed a road extending into the lower reaches of the Shaksgam Valley, reaching a point less than 50 km from the Siachen Glacier, which is under Indian control.
Jaiswal stressed that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an “integral and inalienable” part of India, a position that has been repeatedly conveyed to both Pakistan and China.
“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,” he said.
Responding to a separate question on large-scale Chinese military exercises near Taiwan, Jaiswal said India closely monitors developments in the Indo-Pacific region and has a strong stake in regional peace and stability.
“We urge all concerned parties to exercise restraint, avoid unilateral actions, and resolve issues through peaceful means without the threat or use of force,” he added.
On the issue of international recognition of Somaliland, Jaiswal said India maintains longstanding ties with Somalia and continues to emphasise the importance of respecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Somalia maintains that Somaliland is an integral part of its territory. Israel last month recognised Somaliland as an independent nation, raising concerns in Somalia.
