India wants Pakistan to reconsider downgrading its diplomatic ties

Responding to Pakistan's decision in downgrading its diplomatic ties following the revocation of Article 370 from Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK), the latter has urged that Pakistan reconsider its decision.

In a statement issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, India claimed that the reasons cited by Pakistan for downgrading its ties 'are not supported by facts on the ground'. The statement added that decisions by the Modi Government are driven by a commitment to extend to IoK opportunities for development that 'were earlier denied by a temporary provision in the Constitution'.

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"The Government of India regrets the steps announced by Pakistan yesterday and would urge that country to review them so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved," the statement further said.

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The statement has further said that recent developments pertaining to Article 370 are entirely the internal affair of India. However, only earlier this month Indian External Affair Minister Jaishankar had tweeted, "Any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally,” in response to US mediation offer on Kashmir.

Indian statement responding to Pakistani diplomatic offensive said, "Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed.

On Wednesday, the National Security Committee (NSC) had decided to downgrade Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with India and also suspend trade between the two countries.