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International Desk, May 13, 2025 : India has reiterated that the entire region of Kashmir is its territory and accused Pakistan of illegally occupying parts of it, demanding that Islamabad relinquish control.
On Tuesday, May 13, during a press briefing, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated, “Our long-standing policy on resolving the Jammu-Kashmir issue bilaterally with Pakistan remains unchanged. Pakistan must vacate the Indian territory it has illegally occupied.”
Jaiswal also made it clear that India will not accept mediation by any third party on the Kashmir issue. Responding to a question about US President Donald Trump’s recent offer to mediate, he said, “The resolution of this issue must be bilateral. There is no need for third-party intervention.”
Kashmir is divided among three countries: Pakistan controls a portion known as ‘Azad Kashmir,’ India administers ‘Jammu-Kashmir,’ and China holds a region called ‘Aksai Chin.’ Both India and Pakistan claim the entirety of Kashmir as their own. However, in Indian-administered Kashmir, some sections of the population demand independence or unification with Pakistan.
On Saturday, following four days of intense cross-border clashes, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire. US President Donald Trump claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire and later expressed his willingness to mediate the decades-long Kashmir dispute. India, however, has firmly rejected any third-party mediation.
India has consistently maintained that Pakistan must vacate the parts of Kashmir under its control before any discussions on the issue can take place. This stance was reaffirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs, signaling that India remains unwavering in its position. The statement is likely to further escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
AI/MR
