On Wednesday, 23rd September, India rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group, saying the group has no role in commenting on matters that are strictly internal to India.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the OIC’s references to Jammu and Kashmir as “unwarranted and factually incorrect”. New Delhi also said the OIC should not provide a platform to Pakistan for what it described as propaganda against India. “The OIC has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal to India,” the MEA said. It also reiterated India’s position that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are “integral and inalienable” parts of the country.
India categorically rejects the unwarranted and factually incorrect references to India in the Joint Communiqué of the so-called OIC Contact Group on Jammu & Kashmir. The OIC has no locus standi to pronounce on matters that are strictly internal to India. The entire Union… pic.twitter.com/hLMKezGYHN
— United News of India (@uniindianews) September 23, 2026
The statement came after the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir held a meeting on Tuesday, 22nd September, in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The OIC itself said its Contact Group had reaffirmed support for what it described as the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
India questions OIC’s credibility
The MEA also questioned the credibility of the OIC over its repeated references to Jammu and Kashmir. “Repeated endorsement of such motivated narratives only raises serious questions on the credibility of OIC,” the ministry said.
India has consistently rejected international attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at forums where New Delhi considers it an internal matter. The latest statement again opposed what it described as efforts to question or alter the status of Jammu and Kashmir through repeated references at international forums.
MEA tells OIC to ‘counsel Pakistan’
New Delhi also directly criticised Pakistan’s role in the OIC meeting. The MEA said Pakistan was using the grouping to raise issues that India considers part of its internal affairs. “Instead of offering a platform to Pakistan to peddle its fabricated and motivated propaganda, OIC will be better advised to counsel Pakistan,” the ministry said.
India also referred to what it called Pakistan’s “well-documented record of supporting and sponsoring terrorism” and said Islamabad should address the threat of terrorism emanating from territory under its control.
What Pakistan said at the OIC Meeting
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also addressed the OIC Contact Group meeting in New York. He urged OIC member states to maintain a unified position on Jammu and Kashmir at the UN and other international forums.
Dar called for the reversal of measures taken by India since 5th August, 2019, and also sought the release of political prisoners and access for international observers. Pakistan has continued to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums, while India has rejected such interventions and maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country.
