India rejects Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission ‘which is without any legal basis’
The MEA says there is no boundary between Pakistan and China; adds that J&K and Ladakh "are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India"
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Context
India has firmly rejected the formation of the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission, asserting it has no legal standing as there is no legitimate border between the two countries. The commission's first meeting in Islamabad prompted New Delhi to reiterate its long-standing position that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India. This development highlights India's ongoing opposition to the 1963 boundary agreement between Pakistan and China and any infrastructure projects, like the , passing through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
UPSC Perspectives
Geopolitical
From a geopolitical perspective, the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission is a manifestation of the Sino-Pak strategic nexus, often termed an 'all-weather partnership,' which is primarily aimed at balancing India's regional influence. This commission, based on the Sino-Pakistan Agreement of 1963, which India views as illegal, attempts to legitimize Pakistan's occupation of Indian territory and China's control over the Shaksgam Valley (a tract of land in PoK ceded to China by Pakistan). The rejection by India underscores its commitment to territorial integrity and sovereignty. For UPSC, this highlights the complex strategic environment India faces, dealing with a two-front threat and the challenge of managing aggressive territorial claims by its neighbors. Candidates should analyze how such bilateral commissions between adversaries impact India's regional security calculus and its diplomatic strategies in multilateral forums.
Polity
The Indian response is rooted in its constitutional and legal stance regarding the region. The assertion that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India is a reaffirmation of the Instrument of Accession signed in 1947. Furthermore, following the abrogation of in 2019 and the subsequent , India's official maps clearly depict PoK as part of the new Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan as part of Ladakh. The rejection of the joint commission is a legal necessity to prevent any implicit recognition (or estoppel) of the illegal occupation or the 1963 agreement. In the UPSC context, questions can be framed around the constitutional basis of India's claims over PoK and how domestic legislative changes (like the Reorganisation Act) influence international diplomatic posturing.
Economic
This boundary dispute is intricately linked to the (CPEC), a flagship project of China's broader (BRI). India has consistently opposed CPEC because it passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, a part of PoK, thereby violating India's sovereignty. The boundary commission can be seen as an attempt by China and Pakistan to provide a veneer of legality and stability to the region to secure massive infrastructure investments. By rejecting the commission, India is also reiterating its principled opposition to CPEC and warning against international investments in disputed territories. For the UPSC exam, it is crucial to understand the economic dimensions of territorial disputes, specifically how geo-economics (like the BRI) intersects with geopolitics and impacts India's strategic interests and border security.