In a statement before the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that the Central government has taken note of a bridge being constructed by China on Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. "This bridge is being constructed in areas that have continued to be under the illegal occupation of China since 1962. The government of India has never accepted this illegal occupation," the MEA said. "The government has 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."
The MEA had earlier come down heavily on Chinese attempts at creating trouble along the border—from the renaming of villages in Arunachal Pradesh to reports of a bridge being built on the other side of Pangong Lake in Ladakh. These provocations, when put together, clearly indicate that China plans to continue creating disruptions along the border, which will not lead to a situation conducive to resuming ties as they existed before Doklam (2016) or even before Galwan (2020).
At the first press meet of this year, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the government has been monitoring the Chinese activity of building a bridge on the other side of Pangong lake, an area that is under illegal occupation by China, over the last 60 years. "As you are well aware, India has never accepted such illegal occupation," he said. Bagchi added that the government has been taking all necessary measures to ensure that India's security interests are fully protected.
As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before. These have provided much-needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to armed forces.
