That India refused to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Summit exposes its fears of internationalization of Kashmir dispute and its anti-connectivity approach to state-to-state relations.
On China’s invitation to participate in the Summit, Indian Foreign Secretary, Subramanyam Jaishankar, responded:
“They have extended an invitation to the government to participate in the Summit. How India can participate in the Summit when China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) runs through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir? It is for China, a country sensitive to such matters, should say how can a country whose sovereignty has been violated can come on an invitation.”[1]
