China-Pak pact on Shaksgam Valley is illegal, situation along China front stable but needs vigil: Army chief

NEW DELHI: Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said that the situation along the Northern front (with China) “remains stable but needs constant vigil”.Apex-level interactions, including at military, diplomatic and ministerial levels, renewed contact and confidence-building measures are contributing to the “gradual normalisation” of the situation. These have also enabled grazing, hydrotherapy camps and other activities along the northern borders, he said. “With our continued strategic orientation on this front, our deployment along the LAC remains balanced and robust. Concurrently, capability development and infrastructure enhancement are progressing through a whole-of-govt approach,” he added. Gen Dwivedi said that since May 10 last year, the situation along the northwestern front and J&K “remains sensitive but firmly under control”.Gen Dwivedi also reiterated India’s long-standing position that the 1963 agreement between Pakistan and China on the Shaksgam Valley is illegal. Speaking on the issue, he said India has never recognised the so-called agreement under which Pakistan ceded territory to China. “On Shaksgam Valley, India considers the 1963 agreement between Pakistan and China illegal. We do not accept it,” he said, underlining New Delhi’s consistent stance on the matter.The Army chief also spoke of a security grid comprising Assam Rifles, Army and home ministry working to insulate the Northeast from the “spillover effects” of events unfolding in Myanmar. As regards Manipur, Gen Dwivedi said the situation in the state has witnessed “marked improvement” due to proactive govt initiatives. “Peaceful conduct of the Durand Cup, resumption of cultural festivals and renewal of suspension of operations, that is SoO, with Kuki insurgent groups in Sept 2025, have been key markers of stability,” he said.The General said the Army had operated across two neighbouring countries and 10 states for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and rescued over 30,000 people.