China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
India criticised China and Pakistan for efforts to involve the third-world countries to join projects relating to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a multi-billion-dollar connectivity corridor that passes through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region. China and Pakistan are making efforts to involve Afghanistan in the same.
Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that such attempts to involve the third world under the CPEC are “inherently illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable” and India will treat it accordingly. The MEA confirmed that India has a solid and unwavering stance against the issue.
New Delhi has always condemned the projects of CPEC that have been taking place in India’s territory and the MEA has said that the land is “illegally occupied by Pakistan”.
Arindam Bagchi reiterated India’s stand on the issue as multiple networks of highways, rail links, power plants, manufacturing units and massive infrastructure projects launched in 2013. The ground on which CPEC projects are carried out and accused of being illegal occupations of the Indian territory by Bagchi and MEA. Bagchi said, “India firmly and consistently opposes projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in Indian territory that Pakistan has illegally occupied”.
He added We have seen reports on encouraging proposed participation of third countries in so-called CPEC projects. Any such actions by any party directly infringe on India's sovereignty and territorial integrity”. At a meeting of the CPEC, a joint working group (JWG) on Friday on International cooperation and coordination, Pakistan and China discussed to introduce interesting third world countries to join the flagship CPEC initiative.
The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.