Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta has firmly rejected China's claim over the Shaksgam Valley, asserting unequivocally that the entire Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India. His statement comes amidst renewed tensions after China reiterated its territorial claims over the Shaksgam Valley and defended its infrastructure projects in the region, which India views as illegal. India has consistently maintained that the 1963 "boundary agreement" between China and Pakistan, under which Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in the Shaksgam Valley to China, is unlawful and invalid. New Delhi argues that Pakistan had no legal authority to transfer territory that rightfully belongs to India. The Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated India's stance, clarifying that the Shaksgam Valley forms part of the Indian Union Territory of Ladakh and is under illegal occupation. Lt Governor Gupta emphasized that India, being a much stronger nation today, would not tolerate any expansionist attempts by China, drawing a contrast with the 1962 conflict and highlighting India's resolve in 2026. He also pointed to the 1994 Parliamentary resolution, which explicitly declares PoK as an integral part of India, a position consistently upheld by various Indian officials, including the External Affairs Minister and Defence Minister. The dispute over Shaksgam Valley holds critical strategic importance due to its proximity to the Siachen Glacier and the Karakoram Pass, impacting India's security along both the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. China's ongoing infrastructure development, including projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Indian territories under illegal Pakistani occupation, further exacerbates these concerns. India has firmly rejected CPEC activities in these regions as violations of its sovereignty.