Defence minister claims Azad Kashmir part of India

India has claimed Azad Kashmir as its part, alleging Pakistan has illegally occupied the valley.

“I feel there is no need to capture Kashmir by force. People of Kashmir would prefer to be part of India after seeing the development in Jammu and Kashmir,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said during an interview with news agency PTI.

He added: “I think India will not have to do anything. The way the ground situation has changed in Jammu and Kashmir, the way the region is witnessing economic progress and the way peace has returned there, I think demands will emerge from people of Kashmir that they should merge with India”

The Indian minister was of the view that Kashmir is part of India. According to a resolution of the Indian parliament, Kashmir is part of India, he noted.

He claimed that people were made to forget about Kashmir, but it is now back in the consciousness of the Indian people.

Back in 2023, Rajnath Singh had claimed that Pakistan has no legal authority in Kashmir. He added that Islamabad does not have a locus standi there as it has ‘illegally occupied’ the area.