Indian Army Chief Calls 1963 China-Pakistan Border Deal Illegal Over Shaksgam Valley

India Rejects China's Claim to Shaksgam Valley as Army Chief Speaks Out

India's Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has firmly rejected China's claim over the Shaksgam Valley. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, he said India considers the 1963 agreement between Pakistan and China as illegal. He made it clear that India does not approve of any activity in this area.

The Shaksgam Valley is a high-altitude region covering about 5,180 square kilometers. It sits north of the Karakoram mountain range. The area borders China's Xinjiang region to the north and the Siachen Glacier to the east. India says this valley has been part of Jammu and Kashmir since 1947.

The dispute started in 1963 when Pakistan and China signed a boundary agreement. Under this deal, Pakistan gave the Shaksgam Valley to China. India has never accepted this agreement. The country says Pakistan had no right to give away Indian land.

General Dwivedi's statement came after China defended its position. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the valley belongs to China. She added that China has every right to build infrastructure on what it calls its own land.

India's Ministry of External Affairs has also spoken against China's activities in the region. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. He stressed that India has never recognized the 1963 border agreement between China and Pakistan.

The Army Chief also criticized the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Known as CPEC, this is a major infrastructure project. Part of it passes through the Shaksgam Valley. General Dwivedi said India considers CPEC 2.0 an illegal action being carried out by China and Pakistan.

China claims the 1963 agreement was legal and proper. Beijing says it was an agreement between two independent countries exercising their rights. However, India points out that Pakistan occupied this land illegally during the 1947-48 war. Since Pakistan never owned the land, it could not give it to China.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between India and China over border areas. Despite talks between the two countries in recent years, major disagreements over territory remain. The Shaksgam Valley issue shows these problems are far from resolved.

India maintains that the entire region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir belongs to India. The country says it reserves the right to take necessary steps to protect its interests in these areas.