'No external party has any locus standi': India rejects Turkish President Erdogan's Kashmir remarks at UNGA

India on Tuesday strongly rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reference to Jammu and Kashmir during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Kashmir is an issue linked to India's territorial integrity and sovereignty and rejected what it called interference by outside parties.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had firmly conveyed its position after Erdogan referred to the Kashmir issue during his UNGA speech.

"India rejects the unwarranted references to Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir made by the Turkish President during his UNGA address. This is a matter pertaining to India's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no external party has any locus standi on this issue," Jaiswal said.

What Erdogan said on Kashmir

Erdogan referred to disputes in South Asia while calling for dialogue under international frameworks. He said all disputes, including the Kashmir issue, should be addressed through dialogue and in line with the United Nations Charter and relevant resolutions.

"In South Asia, it is important that all disputes, including the Kashmir issue, be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the United Nations Charter and of relevant resolutions. Provided that constructive action is taken, all issues can possibly be resolved," Erdogan said.

This is not the first time Erdogan has used the UN General Assembly to comment on Kashmir. He had also raised the issue in 2019 after India revoked the special status provided to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

In February 2025, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had also raised the Kashmir issue during his visit to Pakistan.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad on February 13, 2025, Erdogan said India and Pakistan should resolve the issue through dialogue.

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India reiterates Kashmir position

New Delhi reiterated its position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India. It also pointed to the Shimla Agreement, under which India and Pakistan are committed to resolving bilateral issues peacefully without third-party intervention.

Indian officials also reiterated that "talks and terror cannot go together". They cited cross-border terror attacks following earlier peace initiatives, including Kargil, 26/11, Pathankot, Pulwama and Pahalgam.

According to the Indian position, these attacks have placed the responsibility on Islamabad to dismantle terrorist infrastructure before meaningful diplomatic engagement can resume.