India rejects Erdogan's remarks on Kashmir, says no external party has locus standi

India has rejected Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks on Jammu and Kashmir at the UN General Assembly. New Delhi said the issue concerns its territorial integrity and leaves no role for any external party.Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. (File Photo: Reuters)New Delhi,Sep 29, 2026 20:38 ISTIndia has rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's latest reference to Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly, calling it an "unwarranted" reference and stressing that no outside party has a role in matters concerning India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.The response came after Erdogan raised the Kashmir issue during his address to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. He said disputes in South Asia, including Kashmir, should be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.Responding to questions about Erdogan's remarks at a media briefing on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made India's position clear."You would have seen that the remarks you referred to were made by the Turkish President. India rejects the unwarranted references to India and the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir made by the President of Turkey during his address to the UN General Assembly," Jaiswal said. "This is a matter, as you would understand, pertaining to India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no external party has any locus standi on this issue," he added. The phrase 'locus standi' refers to the legal or recognised standing to intervene in a particular matter. In this context, Jaiswal was asserting that India does not recognise an external role in the Kashmir issue.ERDOGAN'S KASHMIR REMARKS AT UNGABringing up Kashmir, Erdogan spoke about disputes in South Asia during his UNGA address. "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," he said. "Provided that constructive action is taken, all issues can possibly be resolved," Erdogan added.His remarks drew a response from New Delhi, which has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and rejects third-party involvement in the matter. The latest exchange comes after India also rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir in an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Contact Group communique issued on the sidelines of the UNGA last week.Erdogan has raised Kashmir at the UN General Assembly on several previous occasions, particularly since India's 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status. His latest reference has again brought the issue into focus during this year's UNGA session.- Ends