New Delhi: India has “consistently protested” to parties concerned over the inclusion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR), and asked them to cease these activities, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday.
CPEC, a major bilateral infrastructure and development project between China and Pakistan, passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This project is a part of the OBOR initiative, now renamed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is aimed at developing new trade routes between China and the rest of the world.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether a meeting was held between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan in the fourth week of May 2025, and if it is also a fact that there was a “discussion” on expanding CPEC to Afghanistan.
“The Government of India is aware of a China-Pakistan-Afghanistan meeting held in Beijing, China, on 21 May 2025. The government’s position on CPEC is clear and consistent,” Singh said.
Singh stated that the CPEC passes through parts of the Indian Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, which are under illegal occupation by Pakistan.
“Government has consistently protested to parties concerned over the inclusion of the so-called ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through parts of the Indian Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir under illegal occupation of Pakistan, as a flagship project of ‘OBOR/BRI’ and asked them to cease these activities,” he added.
“Any proposed participation of third countries or expansion of the so-called CPEC projects to third countries is unacceptable,” the minister said, adding that the Government of India has consistently protested to concerned parties about such actions.
The minister stressed that India has always opposed the inclusion of these territories in international projects such as CPEC, which is promoted as a flagship component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The minister further noted that India is fully aware of all developments, including international meetings involving countries participating in CPEC discussions, and continues to monitor them closely from the perspective of national security.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met in Beijing earlier this May.
