India Calls 1963 Pak-China Shaksgam Pact Illegal
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi reiterated on January 13, 2026 that India considers the 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China over the Shaksgam Valley to be illegal and unacceptable. He said India has never recognised the pact and rejects any actions taken under it.
India’s Territorial Position
Gen. Dwivedi said at a press briefing in New Delhi that New Delhi does not approve of infrastructure or economic activities in the Shaksgam Valley, which India regards as part of its sovereign territory in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He also said India does not accept joint initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the region because they are based on the disputed agreement.
Renewed Diplomatic Dispute
The army chief’s remarks followed recent comments from China reaffirming its territorial claim and defending construction efforts in the Shaksgam area. India has repeatedly insisted that the 1963 pact, under which Pakistan ceded the territory to China without India’s consent, has no legal standing and has called on Beijing and Islamabad to respect its position.
The issue highlights ongoing tensions between India and China over border areas and development activities in contested regions.
