China has formally reasserted its territorial claim over the Shaksgam Valley, rejecting India’s objections to Chinese infrastructure activity in the region and describing its actions as “fully justified” and “beyond reproach”. India responded by restating that the territory, historically known as Saksh Ghum, is an integral part of India and that neither the 1963 China–Pakistan boundary agreement nor the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor has any legal validity.
The sharp exchange marks a fresh diplomatic flashpoint between the two Asian powers and brings renewed focus to a long-standing territorial dispute involving India, China and Pakistan. While the area remains remote and sparsely populated, developments there carry strategic implications for the wider Himalayan region, particularly amid lingering mistrust following years of military tension along the Line of Actual Control.
China Reasserts Sovereignty
China’s position was laid out by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a regular press briefing in Beijing, following India’s protest over reports of Chinese construction activity in the area.
“The China–Pakistan boundary agreement signed in the 1960s clearly defined the boundary in the relevant area. China has sovereignty over the Shaksgam Valley. It is fully justified for China to conduct infrastructure construction on its own territory, and this is beyond reproach,” Mao said.
She described the agreement as a lawful and sovereign arrangement reached through bilateral negotiations between China and Pakistan, adding that Beijing sees no basis for India’s objections. China has long maintained that the boundary issue in this sector was settled decades ago and that its administration of the area is legitimate.
Responding to concerns about infrastructure development, Mao said China’s activities were civilian in nature and aimed at improving connectivity and development conditions. She linked the projects to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor aims to promote local socio-economic development and improve people’s livelihoods. It does not target any third party,” she said.
China also reiterated its broader position on the Kashmir dispute, seeking to separate its claim over Shaksgam Valley from the larger India–Pakistan conflict. Mao said the Kashmir issue was a “leftover from history” and should be resolved peacefully through dialogue in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements. She added that China’s position on Kashmir remains unchanged and that the boundary agreement and CPEC do not affect that stance.
India Rejects China’s Claim
India rejected China’s assertions in strong terms, reiterating its long-standing position that the Shaksgam Valley, referred to in Indian records as Saksh Ghum, lies within Indian territory under illegal occupation.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi does not recognise the legal basis cited by Beijing.
“We have never recognised the so-called China–Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963,” the MEA said, underlining that Pakistan had no authority to cede territory belonging to the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir to any other country.
India also reiterated its opposition to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.
“We also do not recognise the so-called China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, as it passes through Indian territory,” the statement said.
New Delhi has consistently argued that CPEC violates India’s sovereignty because it runs through areas that are under what it describes as forcible and illegal occupation. Officials said India has conveyed this position repeatedly to both Beijing and Islamabad through diplomatic channels.
India’s territorial position was stated unambiguously. “Shaksgam Valley is an integral part of India,” the MEA said, adding that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India.
Saksh Ghum and Its Strategic Context
Saksh Ghum, internationally known as the Shaksgam Valley or the Trans Karakoram Tract, spans approximately 5,180 square kilometres of high-altitude terrain north of the Karakoram range. India maintains that the area was part of Jammu and Kashmir at the time of accession to India in 1947.
Following the first India–Pakistan war, Pakistan assumed control over parts of the region and in 1963 signed a boundary agreement with China, transferring the territory. China has administered the area since then as part of its Xinjiang region, a move India has never accepted as legally valid.
Despite its harsh terrain and lack of permanent settlements, Saksh Ghum holds considerable strategic value. The region lies close to the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield, and near critical junctions linking South Asia with Central Asia and western China. Indian officials say control and infrastructure development in the area can affect long-term military logistics, surveillance capabilities and strategic balance in the western Himalayas.
Infrastructure and Security Concerns
India’s latest protest follows reports that China has constructed an all-weather road branching from Highway G219 in Xinjiang into the Shaksgam Valley. Satellite imagery cited by analysts suggests the road extends to within around 50 kilometres of Indira Point, near the Siachen Glacier.
Indian officials view the construction as an attempt to alter ground realities, a phrase commonly used in diplomatic exchanges to describe permanent changes in disputed areas. While China insists the projects are civilian and developmental, Indian security assessments have repeatedly flagged the potential dual-use nature of infrastructure in high-altitude border regions.
India’s military leadership has reinforced the government’s position. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said India does not recognise any claims arising from the 1963 agreement.
“The agreement signed between Pakistan and China in 1963 is illegal. India does not accept any infrastructure activity or territorial claims based on it,” he said, adding that the armed forces remain alert to developments affecting national security along the northern borders.
Political and Diplomatic Fallout
The issue has also triggered political debate in India following reports that a Communist Party of China delegation met leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi. Opposition parties criticised the timing of the engagement, citing China’s renewed assertion over Saksh Ghum and recalling unresolved border tensions, including the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
The government has said such inter-party exchanges are routine and do not affect India’s official diplomatic or security stance.
No Sign of Resolution
The Shaksgam Valley dispute remains unresolved more than six decades after the 1963 agreement. India maintains that any agreement involving Indian territory without its consent is null and void, while China continues to rely on the agreement to assert sovereignty.
The latest exchange underscores how historical disputes continue to shape present-day relations between India and China. While the region remains quiet on the ground, positions on Saksh Ghum remain sharply opposed, with no immediate prospect of resolution.
