Why in news?
India and China are engaged in a renewed border dispute over the Shaksgam Valley, a strategically vital 5,000 sq km area in Jammu and Kashmir that Pakistan illegally ceded to China in 1963, as recent exchanges highlight China's infrastructure buildup there.
Location & Geography
- Shaksgam Valley (Trans-Karakoram Tract) lies north of the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range.
- Covers about 5,180 sq km of rugged terrain.
- It is part of the territory that India considers integral to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, but Pakistan occupied it after 1947 and later ceded it to China in 1963.
Geopolitical Dispute
- India’s stance: Considers the 1963 Pakistan–China boundary agreement illegal, as Pakistan had no authority to cede the valley.
- China’s stance: Claims sovereignty over the valley and justifies infrastructure projects there, linking it to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
- Pakistan’s role: Ceded the territory to China in exchange for recognition of its control over other parts of Kashmir.
Strategic Importance
- Military relevance: Close to Siachen Glacier, a sensitive military zone where India and Pakistan have had long-standing conflicts.
- Infrastructure projects: China is building roads and facilities in the valley as part of CPEC, strengthening its strategic depth in the region.
- Diplomatic flashpoint: The valley has become a new source of friction between India and China, even after earlier agreements to ease tensions in Ladakh.
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