External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has reiterated India’s firm stance on Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that the abrogation of Article 370, economic revival, social justice, and the successful conduct of elections have addressed most concerns in the Union Territory. He stated that the only pending issue is the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to India.
Speaking at the Chatham House in London, Jaishankar responded to a Pakistani journalist’s question on Kashmir, asserting, “Look, in Kashmir, we have done, I think, a good job solving most of it. Removing Article 370 was step one. Restoring growth, economic activity, and social justice was step two. Holding elections with a high turnout was step three. The part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation. When that’s done, I assure you—Kashmir solved.”
His remarks reaffirmed India’s long-standing position that PoK is an integral part of the country. Earlier, on May 9, 2024, Jaishankar had asserted that every Indian political party is committed to ensuring PoK’s return. Addressing students at Delhi University’s Gargi College, he said, “All I can say about PoK is that there is a Parliament resolution, and every political party in this country is committed to ensuring that PoK, which is part of India, returns to India. That is our national commitment.”
Jaishankar has consistently highlighted how the scrapping of Article 370 in August 2019 shifted focus toward PoK. He noted, “Because we have finally taken the right decision on Article 370, the PoK issue has come to the forefront of people’s thinking. The first prerequisite for something happening is that it should be in your thoughts.”
On May 5, 2024, during an event in Cuttack, Odisha, Jaishankar reinforced his stance, stating that PoK has always been a part of India but was “made to forget.” He criticized India’s past approach, saying, “We didn’t tell Pakistan to vacate the region in the early years of independence, which led to this sorry state of affairs. When you have someone who is not a responsible custodian of the house, someone steals from outside.”