SRINAGAR: India on Tuesday rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly, terming the reference “unwarranted” and reiterating that the issue concerns India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Responding to questions on Erdogan’s remarks, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India rejected the references made by the Turkish president to India and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“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,” Jaiswal said.
Erdogan, addressing the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, said disputes in South Asia, including Kashmir, should be resolved through dialogue within the framework of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions. The 81st session’s general debate was held from September 22 to 26 and on September 28.
The latest reference was Erdogan’s seventh mention of Kashmir in his UN General Assembly addresses since 2019, according to the record cited in the source material.
He first raised Kashmir at the UNGA following India’s August 2019 decision to abrogate the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status. He subsequently referred to the issue in his 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 addresses. He did not mention Kashmir in 2024 but raised it again in 2025.
India has consistently rejected such references and maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country.
New Delhi has also maintained that differences between India and Pakistan should be addressed bilaterally in accordance with the 1972 Simla Agreement.
India has further maintained that meaningful engagement with Pakistan requires an end to cross-border terrorism, and that “talks and terror” cannot proceed together.
