NEW DELHI: The central government on Friday said that the bridge which is being constructed by China over the Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh lies in an illegally held area. The central government said this in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The new bridge is located on land that was illegally occupied by China in 1962. The central government said that it had never acknowledged China's encroachment. The government said that it had always said that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integral parts of India. The Centre also demanded that other countries should recognize India's sovereignty and integrity. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan made the announcement in the House.

China and India are in talks at the official-military level to withdraw troops from the Line of Control. It was through satellite images that the world came to know about China's illegal construction of the bridge. It is reported that the bridge was being constructed by China to enable rapid military deployment to the original Line of Control.