India has strongly dismissed the recent joint statement by China and Pakistan regarding Jammu and Kashmir, asserting its unwavering sovereignty over the region. On May 26, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs in India responded to the statement, emphasizing that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India and no other country has the right to comment on them.
The joint statement issued after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China from May 23-26, 2026, included references to trans-boundary water resources cooperation, which India has also rejected. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), parts of which run through territories India claims as its own.
Historically, India has consistently opposed the CPEC, citing Pakistan’s illegal occupation of the Shaksgam Valley, which was ceded to China in 1963. The current tensions highlight Beijing’s strategic maneuvers to strengthen its alliance with Islamabad, often at the expense of regional stability. It is pertinent to note that all parties claim the disputed territories as their own.
Looking ahead, India is expected to continue its diplomatic engagements with both China and Pakistan, emphasizing its territorial claims and opposing any projects that infringe on its sovereignty. The ongoing geopolitical dynamics underscore the complexity of South Asian international relations.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, May 27, 2026
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