India has steadfastly opposed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR), now the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), due to its route through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh reiterated India’s consistent protests to China and Pakistan, demanding an end to such activities.

Addressing a query about a May 21, 2025, meeting in Beijing involving China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, Singh confirmed India’s knowledge of discussions on extending CPEC to Afghanistan. “India’s stance on CPEC is unwavering. It passes through illegally occupied parts of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, and we have urged all parties to cease these projects,” he stated, emphasizing that expanding CPEC to third countries is unacceptable.

The CPEC, a cornerstone of the BRI aimed at creating global trade routes, has long been a point of contention for India due to its implications for sovereignty and regional security. Singh assured that India maintains vigilant oversight of developments affecting its national interests and is taking all necessary steps to safeguard its security.

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This diplomatic stance reflects India’s ongoing efforts to counter the strategic and geopolitical challenges posed by CPEC and the broader BRI, particularly in territories it claims as its own.

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