New Delhi (Agency): Amid ongoing tensions between India and China, new satellite imagery reports indicate that Chinese forces have intensified the construction of reinforced bunkers and underground tunnels in Aksai Chin. This territory is claimed by India but is currently under Chinese control.
The construction work involves the creation of tunnels and shafts along a narrow river valley to build bunkers and shelters. This development comes right after China released a “standard map” depicting parts of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh as under its jurisdiction.
Responding to the new map, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated, “China has put out maps with territories (that are) not theirs. It’s an old habit.” He further clarified, “Just by putting out maps with parts of India, this doesn’t change anything. Our government is very clear about what our territory is. Making absurd claims does not make other people’s territories yours.”
On the same day, India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi announced that a strong diplomatic protest had been lodged against China. “We reject these claims as they have no basis. Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question,” he added.
This contentious issue is surfacing just days before the G20 summit scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. Last week, during an informal conversation at the BRICS summit in South Africa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his “concerns over unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and other areas along the India-China border” to China’s President Xi Jinping.
The new construction activities and the release of the “standard map” by China add another layer of complexity to the already strained relationship between the two nations. While diplomatic talks continue, these developments underscore the urgency for both sides to find a resolution to their border disputes.
The situation has drawn attention not only nationally but also internationally, as it holds potential implications for regional stability. With India rejecting China’s territorial claims and lodging a strong diplomatic protest, it remains to be seen how this escalating tension will be addressed in the coming days.