India continues to monitor implications of One Belt One Road project: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) The Indian government's position on China's 'One Belt One Road' (OBOR) or 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI) has been "clear and consistent" and the Centre continues to "monitor the implications" of the projects under the initiative on India's sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.

He also said the government has "consistently protested" to the Chinese side over the inclusion of the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' (CPEC), which passes through parts of the Indian Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir under "illegal occupation" of Pakistan, as a flagship project of 'OBOR/BRI’' and asked them to "cease these activities".

The government was asked whether it is a fact that "all of India's neighbours have agreed to be a part of the One Belt One Road initiative of China".

"No, sir. Government's position on China's 'One Belt One Road' (OBOR) or 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI) has been clear and consistent. Government continues to monitor the implications of the projects under OBOR/BRI on India's sovereignty, territorial integrity and security," the minister said in his reply.

In response to a separate query, Singh said the Indian side has taken up the issue of resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra with the Chinese side in its diplomatic engagements.

Most recently, the Foreign Secretary met Vice Foreign Minister of China on January 27 and they reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and agreed to take certain people-centric steps, he said.

"In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers," the Minister of State for External Affairs said.

"They agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries. To mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China in 2025, the two sides agreed to undertake commemorative activities to create better awareness about each other and restore mutual trust and confidence among the public," he added.

The government of India organises the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra every year between June and September, through the two official routes of Lipulekh Pass (since 1981) in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass (since 2015) in Sikkim.

The Yatra has not taken place since 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak and the "subsequent non-renewal of Yatra arrangements by the Chinese side", the government said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of G-20 Summit on November 18, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro.The resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra was discussed in the meeting.

The issue was also discussed in the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives of India and China on the Boundary Question held on December 18, 2024 in Beijing, it said. PTI KND ZMN

Source: PTI