China Claims India's Shaksgam Valley: A Strategic Flashpoint with Pakistan Connection

• China has laid claim to the Shaksgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, a strategically vital territory at the trijunction of India, Pakistan, and China.
• The Shaksgam Valley, part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963 through a border agreement, which India does not recognize.
• The valley's location near Siachen Glacier and Karakoram Pass makes it crucial for military and logistical corridors, allowing surveillance of Pakistan and China's LAC maneuvers.
• India has strongly protested China's infrastructure projects, including an all-weather road, in the Shaksgam Valley and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through Indian territory.
• Indian officials, including Ladakh LG Kavinder Gupta and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, assert the valley is Indian territory and condemn Chinese activities.

Why It Matters: China's claim and infrastructure development in Shaksgam Valley reignite India-China tensions over disputed territory.