India Rejects Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission as Illegal

The Government of India rejected the operationalization of the Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission following its inaugural meeting in Islamabad on September 16-17, 2026. The commission, co-led by Li Ya of China and Bilal Mahmood Chaudhary of Pakistan, was established under a 2013 agreement to manage boundary maintenance, joint surveys, and trade flows, specifically targeting transit routes like the Khunjerab Pass to support the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

India's Ministry of External Affairs stated the commission lacks a legal basis, asserting that the territories involved are part of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. New Delhi reiterated its refusal to recognize the 1963 China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, labeling it illegal and invalid. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal characterized the commission as theatrics and demanded that Pakistan immediately vacate areas under illegal and forcible occupation.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the commission as a significant milestone for strategic cooperation. Pakistani officials dismissed India's assertions as baseless and legally untenable, defending the 1963 agreement and calling for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Jammu and Kashmir. The diplomatic clash follows recent bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.