News Context: China recently rejected India's protest over infrastructure construction in the Shaksgam Valley, claiming the territory as part of its Xinjiang province.
- The Legal Standing: Shaksgam Valley (approx. 5,180 sq. km) is part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). It was "illegally ceded" by Pakistan to China under the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement.
- India’s Position: India has never recognized this agreement. India maintains that the entire UT of Jamm& Kashmir and Ladakh is an inalienable part of India.
- Strategic Importance: It lies north of the Siachen Glacier. Chinese road construction here bridges the gap between the Karakoram Highway and the Tibet-Xinjiang Highway (G219), potentially creating a "pincer" threat to Indian positions in Ladakh.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
