Even as the impact of the long military standoff in eastern Ladakh has not fully faded, tensions between India and China are rising once again. This time, the focus is on the Shaksgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, a region of major strategic importance. Although the valley is legally a part of India, Pakistan illegally handed over nearly 5,000 square kilometres of the area to China in 1963. China is now carrying out large-scale infrastructure development in the region, triggering fresh concern in New Delhi.
The Shaksgam Valley lies just north of the Siachen Glacier and sits at the junction of China's Xinjiang region and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Recent satellite images show that China has built a new road stretching nearly 75 kilometres in the area. The road, around 10 metres wide, is an all-weather route, allowing movement throughout the year. This development has raised alarms within India's security establishment.
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India's response and China's stand
India's Ministry of External Affairs has strongly stated that the Shaksgam Valley is an integral part of India and that the country will take all necessary steps to safeguard its interests. The ministry has also made it clear that India has never recognised the 1963 agreement between Pakistan and China, under which the area was transferred. China, however, has rejected India's objections, claiming there is no scope to question its construction activity in the region.
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Growing security concerns
Defence experts warn that China's growing presence in the Shaksgam Valley increases the risk of a two-front challenge for India. Until now, India's main focus in the Siachen region has been on Pakistan to the west. The Chinese presence to the north of Siachen has added a new layer of threat. Geostrategist Dr. Brahma Chellaney has cautioned that Chinese forces are now just about 50 kilometres from Indira Col in India-controlled Siachen. This has raised fears that India could face pressure from both Pakistan and China in the world's highest battlefield, turning the Shaksgam Valley into a major security concern.
