No Other Country Has Locus Standi: India Rejects J&K References in China-Pakistan Joint Statement

India on Tuesday strongly rejected “unwarranted references” to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by China and Pakistan, reiterating that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “integral and inalienable parts of India” and asserting that “no other country has locus standi (legal standing or right to intervene or comment on a matter)” on the issue.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India “categorically rejects unwarranted references” made in the joint statement issued during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China. He added that India’s position is consistent, well established, and has been repeatedly conveyed to both Beijing and Islamabad.

He further stressed that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are and will always remain integral parts of India,” underlining that India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. Responding to the joint statement, India also said external commentary on the matter is neither valid nor acceptable.

India also objected to references supporting projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) , stating that it “resolutely opposes and rejects” any attempts to legitimize what it described as illegal occupation of Indian territory. It reiterated that parts of the corridor pass through areas under Pakistan’s illegal control.

On references to so-called “trans-boundary water resources cooperation,” India said such claims are baseless as China and Pakistan do not share any boundary. It further stated that India has never recognised the 1963 China-Pakistan boundary agreement , and therefore it holds no legal validity.

India maintained that any attempt to question or reinterpret its territorial sovereignty is unacceptable and reiterated its firm and consistent position on Jammu and Kashmir.