MUMBAI, India: India’s simmering tensions with Pakistan flared anew on Saturday after a senior British diplomat visited Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, prompting a “strong protest” from New Delhi and injecting a dose of geopolitical friction into the lead-up to both countries’ upcoming elections.
The visit, which took place on January 10th, saw British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott travel to the disputed region alongside a UK Foreign Office official. India claims Kashmir in its entirety but only controls a portion of the territory, while Pakistan governs the remaining area. The region has been a flashpoint for decades, with two wars and numerous clashes erupting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
News of Marriott’s visit sparked immediate outrage in New Delhi, with the Ministry of External Affairs issuing a scathing statement calling the trip “unacceptable” and an infringement on India’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra summoned the British High Commissioner to India to lodge a “strong protest” over the matter.
The British Foreign Office, while confirming the visit, offered a more subdued explanation. A spokesperson stated that Marriott “met with the UK-Pakistani diaspora, played in a football match with street children, and visited a bakery,” highlighting the ostensibly non-political nature of the trip.
However, the timing of the visit, coinciding with both India and Pakistan gearing up for elections later this year, casts a shadow of political intrigue over the seemingly innocuous activities. India views the visit as a tacit endorsement of Pakistan’s claims on Kashmir, a sensitive issue that could resonate with voters during the upcoming polls.