India and China are locked in a heated verbal exchange about the remote Shaksgam Valley, a major part of the Trans-Karakoram Tract spanning nearly 5,000 sq km. In January, India’s external affairs ministry declared the area "Indian territory" and said it had "consistently protested with the Chinese side against attempts to alter the ground reality." China fired back claiming the area "belongs to China" and said it was "fully justified" to build infrastructure "on its own territory." This dispute highlights how centuries-old colonial rivalries still affect the world's two most populous countries, even as global power competition rises. Shaksgam Valley, also known as Kelechin Valley, covers almost four times the size of New York City and remains a contentious flashpoint in the India-China border tension.