New Delhi: In response to China's construction of a new village on the disputed border in the upper Subansiri of Arunachal Pradesh, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that the Government of India is keeping a constant watch on developments having bearing on India's security. Addressing the weekly media briefing here in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Government committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along with border areas for improvement of livelihood, including in Arunachal Pradesh".
Bagchi said that China has undertaken construction activities in the past several years along with the border areas, including in the areas that it has illegally occupied over decades. "India has neither accepted such illegal occupation of our territory nor has it accepted the unjustified Chinese claims", Bagchi reiterated.
"Government keeps a constant watch on developments having bearing on India's security&takes all measures to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity", he added. This comes after the US pentagon released a report stating that Beijing has built a large village in disputed territory in the Arunachal Pradesh, which has raised eyebrows as it is a matter of concern for India's security.
According to the report, the Pentagon had said earlier this month that China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Chinese Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh state in the eastern sector of the LAC. Further, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said the Government has always conveyed strong protest to such activities via diplomatic means&will continue to do so in future.
"India has also stepped up border infrastructure, including the construction of roads, bridges which have provided much-needed connectivity to local population along the border", he added. He noted that India has taken note of the US Department of Defence report to the US Congress that made a reference to construction activities by the Chinese side along with the India-China border areas.
India and China have been engaged in an eastern Ladakh border standoff, which erupted in May last year resulting in a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. The tension escalated following a deadly clash in the Galwan valley last year.
Several rounds of diplomatic and military talks have taken place between both sides but yet there seems to be no end to this. The blame game continues between the two sides. The last round of military talks between India-China took place in October this year.
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