“Don’t Play Politics With Kashmir,” India Tells Pakistan at UN Meeting

India delivered a sharp rebuke to Pakistan at an informal United Nations Security Council gathering, dismissing remarks on Jammu and Kashmir as unwarranted and reaffirming that the Union Territory remains strictly an internal matter of India.

The exchange took place at an Arria formula meeting titled “Bridging the Implementation Gap: Security Council Resolutions and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security,” jointly hosted by the missions of Pakistan and China . India’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish , objected after Pakistan’s envoy, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad , raised the Kashmir issue during his remarks.

Harish described it as “incredible” that a co chair expected to act with balance and neutrality had instead chosen to politicise the forum. He reiterated India’s consistent position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and not open to external interpretation in multilateral settings.

Beyond the bilateral exchange, Harish used the platform to highlight broader institutional concerns within the United Nations system. He drew a clear distinction between Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter , noting that Chapter VII deals with enforcement measures in situations involving threats to peace or aggression, while Chapter VI provides mechanisms such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration for peaceful dispute resolution.

He further argued that Chapter VI mediation frameworks should not be treated as permanently fixed, stressing the need for periodic review in light of changing global circumstances. Referring to long running international disputes such as the Palestine issue , he said Security Council approaches must evolve rather than remain static for decades.

India also underlined that ongoing efforts under the UN80 initiative to improve the efficiency of General Assembly mandates should logically extend to Security Council mandates as well.

The development comes amid continuing diplomatic friction between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi maintaining its firm stance against third party mediation on Kashmir and repeatedly asserting that the issue is strictly bilateral.

Pakistan, which is currently serving a non permanent term on the Security Council for 2025 and 2026 , has not issued an additional response following India’s remarks at the meeting.