India on Wednesday rejected a boundary joint commission created by China and Pakistan, saying the body has no legal basis and that Islamabad cannot finalise arrangements concerning Indian territory under its illegal occupation.
The external affairs ministry outlined India’s position hours after the so-called “Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission” held its first meeting in Islamabad to discuss enhanced cooperation in border management, joint border surveys and trade.
India has long accused Pakistan of occupying parts of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir since the 1947-48 war. India has also accused Pakistan of illegally ceding territories such as Aksai Chin and Shaksgam Valley to China. New Delhi has also opposed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission and said: “Our position on this matter is clear and consistent. There is no boundary between Pakistan and China. We reject the so-called Joint Commission, which is without any legal basis.”
{{/usCountry}}External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission and said: “Our position on this matter is clear and consistent. There is no boundary between Pakistan and China. We reject the so-called Joint Commission, which is without any legal basis.”
{{/usCountry}}The entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India”, he said. “Pakistan has no locus standi to enter into arrangements concerning Indian territory under its illegal and forcible occupation,” he added.
India has “never recognised the so-called ‘China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement' of 1963” and has consistently maintained that it is “illegal and invalid”, Jaiswal said, referring to the understanding whereby Pakistan ceded parts of Jammu and Kashmir to China.
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“We resolutely oppose and reject any attempts to alter the status of these occupied territories or legitimise illegal occupation, impinging on India's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Jaiswal said. Any “so-called boundary cooperation between China and Pakistan concerning Indian territories” will be completely unacceptable and have “no bearing whatsoever on India's sovereignty over these territories”, he pointed out.
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“Instead of engaging in such theatrics, we call on Pakistan to immediately vacate from areas under its illegal and forcible occupation,” Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal’s comments followed social media posts by Pakistan’s foreign ministry that described the meeting of the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission as a “significant milestone” for bilateral relations. It said the two sides had operationalised the Joint Commission for “enhanced cooperation in border management, joint border surveys, trade flows and people to people connectivity”.
The inaugural meeting of the commission, held at the foreign ministry in Islamabad, was co-led by Li Ya, deputy director general of the department of boundary and ocean affairs in China’s foreign ministry, and Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary, director general (China) in Pakistan’s foreign ministry.