China Building Road In Occupied Kashmir Near Siachen: Satellite Images Show

A road is being constructed by China in a part of illegally occupied Kashmir close to the Siachen Glacier - considered the world's highest battlefield, as shown by satellite pictures, which could have security implications for India.

The road in Shaksgam Valley, a section of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) ceded to China in 1963, is being built branching out from an extension of Highway G219 in China's Xinjiang and disappearing into mountains at a location (coordinate: 36.114783°, 76.671051°) approximately 50 km north of India's northernmost point, Indira Col in Siachen Glacier - a forward area visited by Defence Minister Rajnath two times since March, as reported by India Today.

China Building Road In Occupied Kashmir

Satellite images captured by the European Space Agency and reviewed by India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team reveal that the basic trail of the road was laid between June and August last year. The Chinese road (pictured) passes through Aghil Pass, which served as India's frontier with Tibet before 1947.

"This road is deemed entirely illegal and a diplomatic protest must be lodged by India with the Chinese," says Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma, the former commander of Indian Army's Fire and Fury Corps that is responsible for manning Kargil, Siachin Glacier, and Eastern Ladakh, as reported by India Today

The construction was initially noted by an observer of the Indo-Tibetan frontier who goes by the name 'Nature Desai' on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Why Is It Significant?

The road lies in the Trans-Karakoram Tract - a region historically part of Kashmir and claimed by India. The latest official map published by the Union government after the abrogation of Article 370 continues to show this region as Indian territory.

The tract, spread over about 5,300 square kilometres, was captured by Pakistan in the 1947 war and handed over to China as part of their bilateral boundary agreement signed in 1963 - which is not recognized by India.

Indian defence experts have long argued that any change in the status quo in this part of occupied Kashmir amounts to a violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There are also concerns that more such infrastructure projects could threaten the existing security scenario in this mountainous region, as per media reports.

India's concerns are also driven by reports of greater military cooperation in the region. In 2021, Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan province announced plans for a new road connecting Muzaffarabad to Mustagh Pass which sits on the Pakistan border with Shaksgam Valley. As per the report, it would be linked to Yarkand in Xinjiang - indicating that the road might pass through the Shaksgam Valley to connect with China's national highway G219.