India rejects Chinese infrastructure build-up in Shaksgam Valley

New Delhi: India on Friday firmly rejected Chinese infrastructure projects in the Shaksgam Valley, asserting that the region is part of its territory and condemning attempts to alter the ground reality.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Chinese infrastructure buildup via CPEC in the Shaksgam Valley, which is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China-Pakistan boundary agreement of 1963. We have consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid.

MEA also stated that it does not recognise the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as it passes through Indian territory currently under illegal occupation by Pakistan.

"We do not recognise the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor either, which passes through Indian territory, which is under forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan. The entire UTs of J&K and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India. This has been clearly conveyed to the Chinese and Pakistani authorities several times. We have consistently protested with the Chinese side for its attempts to alter the ground reality in the Shaksgam Valley. We further reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests,”Jaiswal said.

In a separate remark, Jaiswal addressed a proposed bill in the United States Congress that seeks to impose a 500 per cent duty on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil. He said India remains guided by the imperative of securing "affordable energy" for its 1.4 billion people amid evolving global market dynamics.

“We are aware of the proposed bill. We are closely following the developments,” he said during a weekly press briefing.

“Our position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well known. In this endeavour, we are guided by the evolving dynamics of the global market and by the imperative to secure affordable energy for our 1.4 billion people through diverse sources to meet the energy security needs,” the spokesperson added.

The MEA’s remarks come days after US Senator Lindsey Graham said that President Donald Trump has greenlit the bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill, aimed at penalising countries, including India, China, and Brazil, for purchasing Russian oil, accusing them of "fuelling Putin's war machine."