On Tuesday, India strongly rejected "unwarranted" references to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by China and Pakistan, reiterating that the Union Territory and Ladakh "have been, are and will" remain an integral part of the country.
The joint statement emerged during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's four-day official visit to China, where he held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to strengthen their strategic partnership.
India specifically objected to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor references, noting projects pass through territory India claims but Pakistan occupies, and dismissed trans-boundary water resources cooperation claims as baseless since the countries do not share a common boundary.
India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson stated the country resolutely opposes any moves to legitimize Pakistan's occupation of disputed territories, adding India has conveyed concerns to both nations on several occasions.
According to the China-Pakistan joint statement, Beijing characterized the Kashmir dispute as historical requiring peaceful resolution under UN Charter and Security Council frameworks, while both countries committed to advancing CPEC 2.0 under China's Belt and Road Initiative.