India has categorically rejected unwarranted references to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement between China and Pakistan. In response to media queries regarding these unwarranted references, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said, India’s position is consistent and well known to the concerned parties. He said, the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. The spokesperson said, no other country has the locus standi to comment on the same.
With regard to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC projects, some of which are in India’s sovereign territory, India has resolutely opposed and rejected any moves by other countries to reinforce or legitimise Pakistan’s illegal and forcible occupation of these territories. Mr Jaiswal said this has been clearly conveyed to Pakistani and Chinese authorities several times.
The spokesperson said the Ministry of External Affairs has also seen references to the so-called transboundary water resources cooperation between China and Pakistan. He said that, as the two countries do not share any boundary, the question of so-called transboundary water resources cooperation does not arise. Mr Jaiswal said India has never recognised the so-called 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China.
