Visit by EU MPs to Kashmir helped getting international attention on Pak's support to cross-border terror:MEA

Under attack by the Opposition over the visit of European lawmakers to Kashmir, the government on Thursday said the trip was considered to be in India's larger national interest as it helped getting international attention on Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism.

In its first comments on the issue, the external affairs ministry also asserted that the appointments and engagements of the group were facilitated when the ministry realised that the lawmakers could serve India's foreign policy objectives.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the government may consider requests for similar visits in future depending on three specific factors -- "content, intent and ground realities".

Rejecting criticism that the visit by Members of European Parliament (MEPs) to the Valley amounted to internationalisation of the Kashmir issue, Kumar said it was like a "familiarisation" trip and allowing them to go there was neither internationalising it nor ceding any ground.

Replying to a barrage of questions on the visit, which snowballed into a huge political controversy with the Opposition as well as some BJP allies, including the Shiv Sena attacking the government, Kumar said the key consideration before facilitating their engagement was whether it would serve larger national interests.

Asked about the ministry's role in the delegation's visit, Kumar said the MEA facilitated appointments and engagements of the group when it realised that the lawmakers could serve India's foreign policy objectives.

In the first visit by a foreign delegation, a team of 23 MEPs travelled to Kashmir on Tuesday on a two-day trip to have a first-hand assessment of the situation after the state's special status was revoked in August by abrogating provisions of Article 370. Several of the 23 MPs belong to right and far right parties and are not part of he mainstream in their own countries.

Opposition parties severely criticised the government for the move with the Congress describing it as the "biggest diplomatic blunder" and others asking the Centre how these foreign lawmakers were allowed to visit the Valley while Indian leaders were denied permission.

Emphasising that the visit helped in getting international attention on Pakistan's support to cross border terrorism, Kumar said, "I think there has been clear distinction between getting an international understanding of the situation and internationalising the issue."