NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reference to Jammu and Kashmir during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, calling the remarks "unwarranted" and saying no external party has a role in the issue.
Responding to a question, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India "rejects the unwarranted references to India and the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir" made by Erdogan.
"This is a matter, as you would understand, pertaining to India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no external party has any locus standi on this issue," he added.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly on September 22, Erdogan called for all disputes in South Asia, including the Kashmir issue, "should be addressed through dialogue" within the framework of the UN Charter.
Erdogan's references to Kashmir at the UN date back several years.
He spoke extensively about the issue in 2019 after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370, drawing a strong response from New Delhi.
The Turkish leader raised Kashmir at the UNGA again in 2021. In 2024, however, he did not mention Jammu and Kashmir in his address.
New Delhi's position has consistently been that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that issues with Pakistan should be addressed bilaterally. India has also cited the 1972 Shimla Agreement, under which the two countries committed to resolving differences through peaceful means and bilateral negotiations.
