India has strongly rejected recent comments on Jammu and Kashmir made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group, saying the group has no role in what New Delhi considers India’s internal affairs.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir met in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The OIC said it continued to support what it described as the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and called for the issue to remain on the international agenda.
India rejected the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir and described them as unwarranted and factually incorrect. The MEA reiterated India’s position that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country.
The OIC Contact Group includes Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. During its meeting, the OIC leadership expressed concerns about the humanitarian, human rights and security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. It also referred to UN Security Council resolutions and international law in its position on the dispute.
The latest exchange comes against the background of continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has repeatedly raised the Kashmir issue at international forums, while India maintains that the matter is internal and has objected to outside involvement.
The MEA also criticised what it described as Pakistan’s attempts to use the OIC platform to promote its position. India urged the OIC to address what it called Pakistan’s record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism rather than commenting on India’s internal matters.
The OIC, meanwhile, has maintained its position on Kashmir. Its September 21 statement said the organisation supports the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and called for greater international attention to the issue.
The latest statements highlight the continuing diplomatic disagreement between India and the OIC over Jammu and Kashmir. While the OIC continues to raise the issue in international forums, India has consistently rejected such references and maintained that the OIC has no locus standi in matters concerning India’s internal affairs.