An RTI letter, along with social media posts, has been circulating on social media, claiming that the Modi government has admitted that China has illegally occupied 38,000 square kilometers of land in the Ladakh region of northern India. The posts insinuate that since the 2020 skirmishes between Indian and Chinese soldiers, China has occupied this territory.
Sharing the RTI letter, the handle Zeenat Shabrin wrote, “The Modi government, which falsely claimed to show red eyes to China, has finally accepted the truth. China has occupied 38,000 square kilometers of Indian land in Ladakh. The Modi government accepted this truth in response to an RTI. Our army officers are also aware of this reality. But as soon as the name of China comes, the 56-inch chest becomes 5.6 inches.” (Archived link)
Pramod Yadav claimed that the Modi government, which falsely claimed to show red eyes to China, has finally accepted the truth. The truth is that China has occupied 38 thousand square kilometers of Indian land. In response to an RTI, the Modi government has accepted that China has occupied 38 thousand square kilometers of land in Ladakh. Not only the Modi government, even the colonels and generals of our nationalist army know this truth. But as soon as the name of China comes, the air goes out of the 56 inches. If Mohan Bhagwat is to be believed, this is the cowardly India after independence in 2024. (Archived link)
Another user Ashok Danoda asserted, “56 inch chest has become 5.6 inches? The Indian government has confirmed in its reply to an RTI that 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory in Ladakh is under Chinese occupation. The RTI asked what action has the government taken to remove illegal occupation by China, to which the government replied that the entire region of Ladakh is an integral part of India.” (Archived link)
In the first step of our research, we conducted keyword search by using relevant keywords. During this process, we found an RTI letter shared by Ajay Bose on X. While sharing the RTI report, Ajay Bose wrote, “I had filed an RTI with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, seeking information on Chinese occupation of Indian territories. A shocking reply was received, stating that ‘Indian territory under occupation by China in the Union Territory of Ladakh is approximately 38,000 square kilometers.” (Archived link)
Further research led us to a news report shared by Nav Bharat Times on March 12, 2020. The article stated that the government had confirmed that approximately 38,000 square kilometers of Ladakh’s territory in India is under China’s occupation. In a statement to Parliament, the government also clarified that Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, are integral parts of India.
In a written response in the Lok Sabha, the government warned Pakistan against any attempts to alter the status of Jammu & Kashmir or Ladakh. Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, said, “There is a boundary dispute between India and China. In the eastern sector, China claims around 90,000 square kilometers of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Additionally, approximately 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory is under China’s occupation.” Furthermore, in response to a question about the 1994 parliamentary resolution on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the minister reiterated, “India’s consistent position is that Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India.”
We also found a report from the Times of India published in February 2022. The article stated, “The government on Friday confirmed that China continues to occupy approximately 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory in Ladakh, a situation that has persisted for the last six decades.”
Additionally, we found a Lallantop report published on October 24, 2024, which explained that India and China share the world’s longest disputed border, stretching 3,488 kilometers, divided into three sectors: Eastern, Middle, and Western. The Eastern sector includes the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim with China. The Middle sector comprises Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while the Western sector includes Ladakh, which shares a border with China. Several areas along this border remain points of contention between the two countries. China occupies approximately 38,000 square kilometers of land in Ladakh, known as Aksai Chin, and also claims 90,000 square kilometers of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. These two disputes have remained unresolved for decades.
The report further stated that the origins of these disputes can be traced back to 1897, during British rule, when a boundary was drawn between India and China, marking Aksai Chin as part of India. This line is known as the Johnson-Ardagh Line. After India gained independence in 1947, it adopted the Johnson-Ardagh Line as its border. However, in 1962, China initiated conflicts along both the eastern and western borders. While China retreated from Arunachal Pradesh following a ceasefire, it seized control of Aksai Chin, which remains under its illegal occupation to this day.
Furthermore, we found a news report from Dainik Bhaskar, which stated that India shares a 3,488-kilometer-long border with China, divided into three sectors: Eastern, Middle, and Western. The Eastern sector includes the borders of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh with China, spanning 1,346 kilometers. The Middle sector comprises Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with a border length of 545 kilometers. The Western sector includes Ladakh, which shares a 1,597-kilometer-long border with China.
China claims 90,000 square kilometers of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Additionally, it has occupied approximately 38,000 square kilometers of land in Ladakh. Furthermore, under a March 2, 1963, agreement between China and Pakistan, Pakistan ceded 5,180 square kilometers of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to China. In total, China has occupied 43,180 square kilometers of Indian territory, which is larger than Switzerland’s total area of 41,285 square kilometers.
| Claim | Under Modi government, China has occupied 38,000 Square Kilometres of Indian land. |
| claimed by | Social media users |
| Conclusion | The claim that China occupied 38,000 square kilometers of Indian land under the Modi government is false. China occupied this area during the 1962 war; this area is called Aksai Chin. In an agreement between China and Pakistan on March 2, 1963, Pakistan handed over 5,180 square kilometers of POK to China. |
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