India has suspended defence exchanges with China after Beijing refused a visa to an Indian army general from the Kashmir region, media reports said on Friday. Indian army’s General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Area Command was denied visa because he was responsible for “disputed” region of Jammu & Kashmir, according to China.
The Indian foreign ministry confirmed that the general’s visit had not taken place “due to certain reasons” and called on China to show more “sensitivity.” It gave no details about any response by New Delhi.
B.S. Jaswal, an Indian lieutenant general responsible for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, had intended to travel to China in August for a high-level defence exchange between the countries.
“While we value our exchanges with China, there must be sensitivity to each others’ concerns. Our dialogue with China on these issues is ongoing,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
The Chinese have been provokng India on Kashmir in recent times by refusing to paste visas on the passports of residents of J&K, instead stapling them instead.
India has strongly protested this practice since the government refuses to recognize stapled visas as valid travel documents.