Days after the US Department of Defense said that China has built a 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory near Arunachal Pradesh, India stated that it never accepted the illegal occupation of its territory nor accepted unjustified Chinese claims.
Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said China has undertaken construction activities in the past several years along with the border areas, including in the areas that it has illegally occupied over decades.
He further said that the Indian government has always conveyed strong protest to such activities via diplomatic means and will continue to do so in future.
‘Govt committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along with border areas’
The government of India has also stepped up border infrastructure, including the construction of roads, bridges which have provided much-needed connectivity to the local population along the border, the MEA added.
Saying that New Delhi is committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along with border areas for improvement of livelihood, including in Arunachal Pradesh, the spokesperson added that GOI keeps a constant watch on developments having bearing on its security and takes all measures to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, the Union government has decided that a ‘jatha’ of around 1500 pilgrims will visit Pakistan from November 17-26.
Pilgrims are scheduled to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Sri Panja Sahib, Dera Sahib, Nankana Sahib, and Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara Sacha Sauda.
On the visit of the special envoy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir, Yousef Aldobeay to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), the MEA said this is India’s internal matter.
“I had said earlier too that we consider such visits to PoJK as interference in our internal matters,” he said.
Shows their attitude over Afghan issue: MEA on Pak skipping NSA-level meet
On Pakistan skipping NSA-level meet on Afghanistan hosted in New Delhi, the MEA said it shows their attitude over the Afghan issue.
“India’s support to the people of Afghanistan is very clear. We have been extending support over many years to all the people of Afghanistan. The situation on the ground has become very difficult over the last few months,” he said.
In the NSA meeting, the very serious humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was discussed at length and India has been participating in meetings over this issue of how to address impending humanitarian concerns, Bagchi added.
Calling for unimpeded, unhindered access in Afghanistan for humanitarian assistance providers, he termed it one of the key elements discussed in previous meetings and added that there have been difficulties due to a lack of unimpeded access to the conflict-ridden country.
