The Government of India on Tuesday rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh made in a joint statement by China and Pakistan, asserting that both regions are integral parts of India.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, said India does not accept “unwarranted references” to its internal matters, reiterating that no other country has any locus standi to comment on issues related to the Union Territories.
“The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India,” Jaiswal said, adding that India’s position on the matter is consistent and well known.
His remarks came after a joint statement issued following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referred to Jammu and Kashmir as an “issue left over from history” and called for its resolution in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
India also objected to references related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), parts of which it maintains pass through territory under what it describes as illegal occupation.
Jaiswal said India “resolutely opposes and rejects” any attempts by other countries to legitimise such projects, adding that concerns have been conveyed to both Beijing and Islamabad on multiple occasions.
The MEA also dismissed references to so-called trans-boundary water cooperation between China and Pakistan, stating that the two countries do not share a boundary and such framing is not acceptable.
India has consistently maintained that any discussion on Jammu and Kashmir by third countries is not valid, and has reiterated that all issues pertaining to the region are internal matters of the country.
The joint statement, issued after high-level talks between China and Pakistan, had reiterated opposition to unilateral actions and called for resolution of disputes through dialogue and existing international frameworks.
