India's consistent position on J-K is well known: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs has said that India's consistent position that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India is well known.

The MEA's response comes to a query regarding the use of the term 'Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir' in the notification of the State Department designating Pakistan-based Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

"The use of the term 'Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir' merely affirms our position that Syed Salahuddin has been involved in cross-border terrorism against India. The similar term has been used in the State Department's country reports on terrorism brought out every year, including in the period 2010 - 2013, in the context of cross-border terrorism perpetrated on India. India's consistent position that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India is well known," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Bagley said in a statement.

He said that India has welcomed the designation of Syed Salahuddin as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' by the US Administration.

"The Joint Statement issued on June 26, 2017, after Prime Minister's talks with President Trump is the strongest joint expression of the commitment of the two sides to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism and calls on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries," the statement added.

Earlier, the Congress party slammed the Prime Minister Modi-led NDA government for remaining silent on the US' reference to Jammu and Kashmir as 'Indian-administered'.