AGENCIES
India on Thursday said it 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 the India-China border areas.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India had stepped up infrastructure development including construction of roads and bridges in areas along the border with China.
Reacting to the Pentagon report about Beijing building a large village in a disputed territory in the Arunachal Pradesh sector, India said it has neither accepted any illegal occupation of its territory by China nor has it accepted unjustified Chinese claims.
In a statement, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said,”We have taken note of the US Department of Defence’ report to US Congress which inter-alia also makes a reference to construction activities by Chinese side along the India-China border areas particularly in the Eastern sector.”
“India has neither accepted such illegal occupation of our territory nor has it accepted the unjustified Chinese claims. The government has always conveyed its strong protest to such activities through diplomatic means and will continue to do so in the future,” the MEA spokesperson said.
In its recent report, the US Department of Defence said China built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between its Tibet Autonomous Region and India’s Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Bagchi said India keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on its security and takes all the necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The MEA spokesperson said India had stepped up infrastructure development including construction of roads and bridges in areas along the border with China.