India delivered a strong rebuke to Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Islamabad of misusing international platforms to advance its political agenda on Jammu and Kashmir.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, asserted that the Union Territory “was, is and will always remain” an integral and inalienable part of India, dismissing Pakistan’s claims as baseless and inconsistent with historical facts.

Speaking during the plenary session on the Annual Report of the Security Council, Harish emphasised that Pakistan’s unwarranted references to Jammu and Kashmir had compelled India to respond.

He criticised Pakistan for attempting to exploit the UN forum for divisive political interests, noting that such behaviour undermines the credibility of international institutions.

He reminded Islamabad that membership of the Security Council is a serious responsibility, not a platform for spreading biased and false narratives.

Harish further condemned Pakistan’s conduct as a current member of the Security Council, pointing out that its circulation of misleading communications exemplifies a counter-productive approach.

He reiterated India’s position that there is no ambiguity regarding the status of Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that Pakistan’s rhetoric cannot alter the fundamental reality of the territory’s legal accession to India in 1947.

India also used the occasion to renew its longstanding call for reforms of the UN Security Council. Harish argued that the existing structure no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical realities and that retaining the status quo has hindered effective functioning. He advocated expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership to ensure the Council’s relevance in addressing global challenges.

The intervention came a day after India lodged a strong protest against Pakistan’s plans to hold elections in the so-called Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement reaffirming that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including Gilgit and Baltistan, are integral parts of India due to the complete, legal, and irrevocable accession of Jammu & Kashmir in 1947.

The ministry categorically rejected Pakistan’s attempts to bring material change to areas under its illegal occupation, underlining that such actions cannot conceal the fact that Pakistan continues to occupy Indian territories unlawfully and must vacate them.

India’s firm stance reflects its consistent position that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter, and attempts to internationalise the issue are unacceptable.

The rebuttal also underscores New Delhi’s broader diplomatic push to highlight Pakistan’s misuse of international forums and to strengthen calls for UN reforms that better represent today’s geopolitical realities.

Agencies