India Slams Pakistan-China Joint Statement On Jammu And Kashmir

New Delhi categorically rejects references to Jammu and Kashmir made in a joint statement by Pakistan and China and reiterates that the union territory is an integral and inalienable part of India, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2021) New Delhi categorically rejects references to Jammu and Kashmir made in a joint statement by Pakistan and China and reiterates that the union territory is an integral and inalienable part of India, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday.

The joint statement was made following the third China-Pakistan strategic dialogue.

"As in the past, India categorically rejects any reference to Jammu & Kashmir. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh has been and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India," Bagchi said at a media briefing.

The spokesperson also criticized references to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"We have consistently conveyed to both China and Pakistan that the so-called CPEC is in India's territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan and that we resolutely oppose any attempts by other countries to change the status quo in areas illegally occupied by Pakistan as also to Pakistan bringing up any material change in Indian territories under its illegal occupation.

We call upon parties concerned to cease such actions," Bagchi said.

India and Pakistan have fought several wars over Kashmir since gaining independence in 1947. However, their ties hit rock bottom in 2019 after the Indian government stripped the Jammu and Kashmir state of its special status and broke it up into two union territories. In response, Islamabad expelled the Indian ambassador and halted bilateral trade with New Delhi.