India strongly objects to possible expansion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects to third country

New Delhi : India on Thursday expressed strong opposition to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying that no third country should be associated with the project. India expressed concern about its sovereignty and territorial integrity, expressing strong objection to the expansion of CPEC projects. India's response comes at a time when China and Pakistan are jointly planning to take CPEC projects to Afghanistan.

India on Thursday once again clarified that the entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is an integral part of it (India) and that no other country should join the projects passing through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as it violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity. related subject. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said this in the weekly press briefing when asked on the subject.

The spokesman said that the Ministry of External Affairs has issued a statement on the subject recently, stating that it has seen reports of encouragement of proposed participation of other countries in projects related to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and CPEC. Such activities are "inherently illegal, unfair and unacceptable".

Bagchi said that any such move by either side in this regard is a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. He said that we have already been objecting to any such activity in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The spokesman said that we say that no third country should join it because we are already warning that it is a matter of our sovereignty.

Bagchi said that what we want to say is completely clear. Asked what action will be taken if a country joins, he said that he does not want to speculate on this. It may be noted that the third meeting of the Joint Working Group on International Cooperation and Coordination of CPEC was held on Friday through digital medium. During this, China and Pakistan also invited other countries interested in being part of the economic corridor to join it.

This economic corridor, started in the year 2013, is going to connect Pakistan's Gwadar port with Kashgar located in the Xinjiang region of China. Through this, both the countries will cooperate in energy, transport and industrial. India has been opposing this corridor as it passes through PoK. CPEC is part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India has been a strong critic of BRI, as CPEC is a part of it.