China Constructing Bridge On Pangong Lake At Area Under Illegal Occupation Since 1960: MEA

"Both these bridges are in areas that have continued to be under the illegal occupation of China since the 1960s," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said

New Delhi: India on Friday said that a second bridge that is being built by China on Pangong lake is in an area which has been under illegal occupation by that country since 1960, reported news agency Press Trust of India. 

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, while replying to media queries on the matter, said India has never accepted such illegal occupation of India's territory, “nor have we accepted the unjustified Chinese claim or such construction activities.”

"We have seen reports of a bridge being constructed by China on Pangong Lake alongside its earlier bridge," he said.  "Both these bridges are in areas that have continued to be under the illegal occupation of China since the 1960s," Bagchi said, quoted by the news agency. 

"We have made it clear on several occasions that the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India and we expect other countries to respect India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.  

Bagchi further said that the government has stepped up development of border infrastructure especially since 2014, including construction of roads and bridges, in order to ensure that the nation's security interests are fully protected

"The government remains committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along the border areas to not only meet India's strategic and security requirements but also facilitate the economic development of these areas," he said.