New Delhi: In a sharp and unequivocal response, India has strongly condemned the controversial remarks made by Birmingham Mayor Zaker Choudhry regarding Jammu and Kashmir. Reaffirming its long-standing position on the global stage, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, remain an inalienable part of the nation.
The diplomatic pushback comes after Lord Mayor Zaker Choudhry, the 116th Mayor of the UK’s second-largest city, made a provocative statement last month during a Pakistan Independence Day celebration. Speaking at the event, Choudhry reportedly claimed that Kashmir belongs to Pakistan. “Our ancestors fought for our country. Kashmir is ours, Pakistan is ours, and the army is ours,” he stated. He further appealed to the Pakistani government and Kashmiri representatives to resolve the long-standing dispute through dialogue by coming to the negotiating table.
Addressing a regular press briefing on Thursday, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal delivered a blunt rebuke to the UK politician. Reacting to the Mayor’s statements, Jaiswal said, “Regarding comments by the Mayor of Birmingham on Kashmir, you know where India stands. The whole of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are parts of India, which are integral to India and inalienable parts of India. That is what I have to say.”
Jaiswal also addressed New Delhi’s broader stance on dealing with the neighbouring country. “As far as our policy towards Pakistan is concerned, you very well know where we are in this particular matter,” the spokesperson asserted, signalling that India’s firm stance on cross-border terrorism and its territorial integrity remains entirely unchanged.
The comments by Choudhry have not only drawn New Delhi’s ire but have also sparked significant outrage within the United Kingdom. Following the circulation of his speech on social media, several British citizens and diaspora groups strongly criticised his remarks, with some even demanding his deportation for attempting to import a foreign geopolitical conflict into UK local politics.
Born in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Zaker Choudhry relocated to the United Kingdom in 1969 at the age of 14. He embarked on his political career as a local councillor in 2006 and was sworn in as the first Muslim Lord Mayor of Birmingham in May 2026.
India has consistently rejected third-party commentary or foreign political interference regarding its internal matters. The MEA’s swift reaction underscores New Delhi’s zero-tolerance policy towards foreign officials indulging in what it considers malicious propaganda against its sovereignty.