India on Tuesday issued a strong rejection of references to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement released by China and Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasised that Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, are integral and inalienable parts of India, and no other country has the locus standi to comment on these territories.

Responding to media queries, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that India’s position on the matter is consistent and well known to both China and Pakistan. He stated that India categorically rejects unwarranted references to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement.

He underlined that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and will always remain integral parts of India.

Jaiswal further rejected any moves by other countries to reinforce Pakistan’s illegal occupation of territories linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He stressed that some of these projects are located in India’s sovereign territory, and India resolutely opposes and rejects attempts to legitimise Pakistan’s forcible occupation of these areas, which impinge on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He added that this position has been clearly conveyed to both Pakistani and Chinese authorities on multiple occasions.

India also dismissed references to so-called “trans-boundary water resources cooperation” between China and Pakistan. Jaiswal pointed out that since the two countries do not share a boundary, the question of such cooperation does not arise. He reminded that India has never recognised the so-called 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China, which purportedly ceded territory that legally belongs to India.

The joint statement followed talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose four-day visit to China concluded on Tuesday. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Sharif briefed the Chinese side on the “latest developments” in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chinese side reportedly reiterated its position that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is a historical issue that should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements. India, however, has consistently rejected such external references, maintaining that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter and integral to its sovereignty.

This latest exchange underscores the continuing friction between India and its two neighbours over territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the legitimacy of Pakistan’s claims.

It also highlights India’s firm stance against any external involvement in matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while reinforcing its rejection of agreements and projects that undermine its territorial rights.

ANI