MEA Dismisses Pakistan's Protest Over US Envoy's J&K Remarks as 'Frustration'

New Delhi has dismissed Pakistan's decision to summon a senior US diplomat over recent remarks by US Ambassador Sergio Gor, describing the move as a sign of Islamabad's "frustration." Responding to queries on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's firm stance, stating that "Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and indivisible parts of India. They were, they are, and they will remain so." He added that there was no reason to comment on Pakistan's frustration.

Pakistan had lodged a protest with the US Charge d'Affaires, calling Gor's comments on the status of Jammu and Kashmir "factually incorrect" and "contradictory" to Washington's long-held position on the matter.

Gor, a close confidant of President Donald Trump and his special envoy to South and Central Asia, made the remarks during a visit to Srinagar, where he declared that Jammu and Kashmir is "an important part of India." His meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is seen as an acknowledgment of the Union Territory's first elected government since the 2019 constitutional changes.

The visit is notable as it marks the first standalone trip to the Valley by a serving US Ambassador since the abrogation of Article 370. In January 2020, then-Ambassador Kenneth Juster had visited as part of a larger delegation of foreign envoys. Two other American delegations have travelled to Kashmir since, including one for a G20 tourism meeting in 2023 and another in August 2024.

From New Delhi's perspective, the evolution of the US position on Kashmir has been significant, with the Trump administration viewing it as an internal matter of India. Gor's affirmation is seen as reinforcing this approach, particularly in the context of recent tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.