‘There is no boundary between Pakistan, China’: India rejects Beijing-Islamabad border panel

India on Wednesday rejected the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission, saying the body has no legal basis and there is no boundary between Pakistan and China

The response from the Ministry of External Affairs came after Pakistan announced that it had operationalised the joint commission with China. Islamabad said the mechanism would focus on border management, joint surveys, trade flows and people-to-people connectivity.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on the issue remained “clear and consistent”, stressing that New Delhi rejects the commission.

“There is no boundary between Pakistan and China,” Jaiswal said, adding that India does not accept the legal basis of the new mechanism.

India objects to arrangements over J&K, Ladakh

Jaiswal said the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “integral and inalienable” parts of India.

He said Pakistan had no right to enter into arrangements concerning territories that are under Pakistan’s “illegal and forcible occupation”.

New Delhi also reiterated that it has never recognised the China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement signed in 1963. India has consistently maintained that the agreement was illegal and invalid because it involved Indian territory.

"We resolutely oppose and reject any attempts to alter the status of these occupied territories or legitimise illegal occupation, impinging on India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any so-called boundary cooperation between China and Pakistan concerning Indian territories would be completely unacceptable and would have no bearing whatsoever on India's sovereignty over these territories," he said.

Pakistan, China operationalise joint commission

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced the first meeting of the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission in Islamabad.

According to Pakistan, the commission is intended to provide a framework for greater cooperation on border management, joint border surveys, trade movement and connectivity between people living on both sides.

The inaugural meeting was co-chaired by Li Ya, deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China’s Foreign Ministry, and Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary, director general for China at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.

Islamabad described the move as a “significant milestone” in Pakistan-China relations.

Jaiswal said any boundary-related cooperation between Pakistan and China involving Indian territories would be unacceptable to New Delhi and would not affect India’s claim over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

He also called on Pakistan to vacate the areas that are under its illegal and forcible occupation.

"Instead of engaging in such theatrics, we call on Pakistan to immediately vacate from areas under its illegal and forcible occupation," he said.