China has no locus standi to comment on our internal affairs: India

India has asked China to refrain from commenting on its internal affairs on Thursday. Commenting on China’s remarks stating that it does not recognise Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh, MEA said Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh have been, are, and would remain an integral part of India.

India has sent a strong message to China asking it to refrain from commenting on its internal affairs. The remarks came after China’s Foreign Ministry said earlier this week that it does not recognise Ladakh Union Territory and Arunachal Pradesh. Commenting on the remarks by China, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India’s position has always been clear and consistent and Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and would remain an integral part of India. He said Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India.

“Our position on this has always been clear and consistent. The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are, and would remain an integral part of India. China has no locus standi to comment on India’s internal matters. We hope that countries will not comment on India’s internal matters, as much as they expect the same of others,” he said.

“Our position on Arunachal Pradesh has also been made clear several times. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. This fact has also been clearly conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions, including at the highest level” he added.

China had also said that India’s growing border infrastructure is the root cause of tension. The comment came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Atal Tunnel and 44 bridges were inaugurated by Border Roads organization. MEA has said that Government of India is focused on infrastructure for the welfare of people and development measures are taken to boost economic development.

MEA spokesperson also briefed media on the 7th round of senior commander talks held on October 12 on border tensions in eastern Ladakh and said the two sides have a better understanding of each other’s positions. He said disengagement is a complex process that requires redeployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC.

“To achieve this, the two sides will maintain the current momentum of communications based on the guidance of our leadership to not to turn differences into disputes and work towards a mutually acceptable solution for complete disengagement in all the friction areas along the Line of Actual Control and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas,” the spokesperson said.