"Kashmir issue nearly resolved, waiting for Pakistan..." says S Jaishankar in London

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar stated that the Kashmir issue is largely resolved, with the final step pending Pakistan’s return of the region’s portion that is under its illegal occupation. During a session at Chatham House in London, Jaishankar explained the measures taken by India to address the longstanding conflict in the region. He highlighted that the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 marked the first critical step in resolving the Kashmir issue.

Jaishankar further explained that removing Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was followed by efforts to restore growth, economic activity, and social justice in the region. These steps, according to Jaishankar, laid the foundation for lasting peace and development. "Restoring growth, economic activity and social justice in Kashmir was step number two," he said, underlining the significant efforts made by the Indian government in revitalizing the region.

The third step, according to Jaishankar, involved holding successful elections in the region, which saw a high voter turnout. This, he noted, demonstrated the increasing political stability in Kashmir. “Holding elections, which were done with a very high turnout, was step number three,” he said, pointing to the positive shift in the region's political landscape since the revocation of Article 370.

Jaishankar stressed, however, that the issue remains unresolved due to Pakistan’s continued control of parts of Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to these territories as "stolen" and maintained that their return is the key to completely resolving the Kashmir dispute. “The part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under the illegal Pakistani occupation. When that’s done, I assure you, Kashmir will be solved,” Jaishankar affirmed.

He also reaffirmed India’s stance on the matter, noting that acquiring Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is a national commitment for India, which has been consistently supported by all political parties. Jaishankar reiterated this point during a past discussion at Delhi University’s Gargi College, where he stated that PoK is and always has been a part of India. He mentioned that the issue of PoK has been brought to the forefront following the abrogation of Article 370, which allowed the Indian government to address previously unresolved issues.

Jaishankar also responded to a question from a Pakistani journalist during the Chatham House session, who accused India of illegally occupying Kashmir and mentioned the heavy presence of Indian troops in the region. Jaishankar firmly rejected the notion of third-party intervention, emphasizing that the steps taken by India have been internal decisions aimed at resolving the issue. He reiterated India’s commitment to resolving the Kashmir dispute through bilateral means, without external interference.