India has strongly rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir made in a joint statement issued after the ninth Pakistan-European Union Strategic Dialogue, reiterating that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of the country.
Responding to questions during a media briefing in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs expressed firm opposition to remarks concerning the region in the joint communiqué released following discussions between Pakistan and the European Union in Islamabad. The statement had noted that the Pakistani side briefed the EU on developments related to Jammu and Kashmir.
India maintained that any references to the matter by external parties are unwarranted and inappropriate. The government emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir remains an internal matter of India and that entities without any standing on the issue should refrain from making comments concerning it.
The response reflects New Delhi’s longstanding position that questions relating to Jammu and Kashmir are strictly domestic affairs and are not open to international mediation or external commentary. Indian officials have consistently asserted that both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh form an inseparable part of the nation’s sovereign territory.
The latest diplomatic reaction comes amid continued efforts by Pakistan to raise the Kashmir issue in international forums. India has repeatedly opposed such attempts, arguing that bilateral matters should not be internationalized and that external stakeholders have no role in the issue.
The government also referenced a similar development from the previous week, when it objected to mentions of Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by China and Pakistan following high-level talks in Beijing. At that time, India had conveyed its strong disapproval and reiterated its established position regarding the status of the region.
New Delhi has consistently maintained that its stance on Jammu and Kashmir is clear, unchanged, and well understood by the international community. The government continues to assert that the region’s constitutional and territorial status is non-negotiable and remains a matter solely within India’s sovereign jurisdiction.
The latest remarks underscore India’s determination to respond firmly to any international statements that it believes challenge or question its position on Jammu and Kashmir, while reinforcing its broader diplomatic message regarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
