India has protested China’s latest decision to set up two new counties in the Hotan prefecture, a part of the disputed territory in Ladakh. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a formal protest through diplomatic channels stating that parts of these counties fall within India’s Union Territory of Ladakh, a claim India has always maintained against China’s illegal occupation of Indian territory.
China’s announcement about the establishment of such counties has alarmed New Delhi, as it is directly related to the ongoing territorial dispute between the two countries. “India has never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation, particularly around Ladakh,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to the announcement, reiterating that the actions continue to be an infringement on the country’s sovereignty.
“We have seen the public notice regarding the creation of two new counties in China’s Hotan Prefecture. Part of the territory of these counties allegedly falls in Indian Union Territory Ladakh,” said Jaiswal, adding a political flavor to the dispute.
#WATCH | On China’s dam project, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “We have seen the information released by Xinhua on 25 December 2024 regarding a hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. As a lower riparian state with… pic.twitter.com/LuQKPQVDNM
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2025
Ladakh Disengagement Process
This development has come months after both India and China successfully disengaged from standoff positions in key areas such as Demchok and Depsang in Eastern Ladakh. Though disengagement temporarily eased tensions between the two nations, this new issue over the establishment of Chinese counties is likely to revive the concerns over the stability of the region.
Along with the protest over the new Hotan counties, India is also raising concerns over China’s mega dam on the Brahmaputra River, which flows from Tibet into India. India has stressed that it will continue to watch the situation closely and take whatever measures necessary to protect its interests. The spokesperson clarified that India, being a lower riparian state with established rights over the river, has always communicated its objections to China’s hydroelectric projects in Tibet.
India continued to reiterate its concerns over the project by stating, “These concerns have been conveyed through diplomatic and expert-level channels, urging China for transparency and consultations with downstream countries on such projects.” He said that upstream activities should not hamper the interest of downstream countries, especially India and Bangladesh, which use river water extensively in agriculture and domestic needs.
Satellite Data Shows Expansion By China Near Doklam
Besides these, satellite imagery has shown that China is continuously building villages near the Doklam plateau, which has traditionally been considered part of Bhutan. According to reports, at least 22 new villages have been built by China in the last eight years, with eight of them being near Doklam since 2020. This expansion has raised alarms in both India and Bhutan, as Doklam is strategically important for regional security.
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