New Delhi: India on Friday criticised China's infrastructure development projects in the Shaksgam Valley and said that it reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests as it is an Indian territory.
Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in the Shaksgam Valley to China in 1963 from areas illegally occupied by it.
“Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory. We have never recognised the so-called China-Pakistan 'boundary agreement' signed in 1963. We have consistently maintained that the agreement is illegal and invalid,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“We also do not recognise the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through Indian territory that is under forcible and illegal occupation of Pakistan,” he said at his weekly media briefing.
Jaiswal was responding to a question on China's infrastructure development in the Shaksgam Valley.
“The entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of India. This has been clearly conveyed to Pakistani and Chinese authorities several times," he said.
“We have consistently protested with the Chinese side against attempts to alter the ground reality in the Shaksgam Valley. We further reserve the right to take necessary measures to safeguard our interests,” he added.
On Chinese military exercises near Taiwan, Jaiswal urged all concerned parties to exercise restraint.
“India closely follows developments across the Indo-Pacific region. We have an abiding interest in peace and stability in the region in view of our significant trade, economy, people-to-people and maritime interests,” he said.
“We urge all concerned parties to exercise restraint, eschew unilateral action and resolve all issues through peaceful means without threat or use of force,” Jaiswal said.
On the issue of recognition of Somaliland, Jaiswal said, “India has longstanding ties with Somalia. We continue to underline the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.”
Somalia has been maintaining that Somaliland is an integral part of the Somali territory.
Israel last month recognised Somaliland as an independent nation, triggering concerns in Somalia.