"There are Chinese projects on territories in J-K that belong to India": MEA objects to illegal occupation
New Delhi, July 24
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday accused China of infringing upon India's sovereignty, asserting that Beijing is "illegally occupying" Indian territories in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while raising firm objections against Chinese projects in these regions.
Addressing a weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underlined New Delhi's consistent position regarding territorial integrity, reiterating that India has consistently raised sovereignty concerns with Beijing.
"EAM said that when it comes to sovereignty issues, it is actually India that should be and is raising them. India does not violate China's sovereignty in any manner and has been consistent," Jaiswal stated.
He further pointed to Beijing's ongoing illegal presence and unilateral infrastructure initiatives in Indian territory.
"But China has been in illegal occupation of Indian territories in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh since 1963, where India's right is officially acknowledged even by China. There are Chinese projects on territories in Jammu and Kashmir that belong to India, and we object to that," Jaiswal added.
The strong statements from New Delhi came a day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila.
According to a readout released by the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang asserted that previous bilateral engagements between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan and Tianjin had "guided China-India relations onto the right track of improvement and development."
"China and India are partners, not competitors, and opportunities, not threats, for each other," Wang was quoted as saying in the Chinese statement, which added that institutional mechanisms had gradually restarted, border regions had maintained peace and tranquillity, and bilateral trade had reached record levels.
"These achievements have not come easily and should be cherished," the Chinese Foreign Minister noted.
Characterising both nations as key representatives of emerging markets and the Global South, Wang expressed that both sides should "prioritise human well-being, demonstrate their responsibility as major powers, consolidate the positive momentum of bilateral relations, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and make positive contributions to promoting multipolarity and the democratisation of international relations."
The Chinese foreign ministry readout further stated that Beijing remains willing to collaborate with New Delhi to execute leader-level consensus, maintain regular high-level interactions, broaden trade, media, and cultural links, handle sensitive friction points properly, and "explore a correct way for neighbouring major powers to coexist peacefully, based on mutual respect, mutual trust, common development, and common prosperity."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good that MEA is raising this, but we need to question why these areas were not reclaimed earlier. Diplomacy is fine, but Pakistan and China keep chipping away at our borders. Time for some hard decisions.
This is a legitimate concern. But I also hope both nations find a way to coexist peacefully. Trade is at record levels, and war would set both economies back decades. Diplomacy must prevail.
China says we are 'partners not competitors' but then builds projects on our land? 🤨 Actions speak louder than words. We need to strengthen our infrastructure in Ladakh and J&K to counter this illegal occupation.
It's reassuring to see India standing firm on sovereignty. But let's also be realistic - China is a powerful neighbour, and we need smart diplomacy, not just chest-thumping. The border issue is complex.
"Illegal occupation since 1963" - this is the key point. Every Indian should know that China is sitting on our land. But what are we doing about it? We need more than just press conferences. 😤
It's good that Jaishankar raised this. But I wish our media covered these issues more deeply. Most Indians don't even know which specific
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