Arunachal, Jammu and Kashmir ‘integral and inalienable’ parts of India: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are "integral and inalienable" parts of India and this has been clearly conveyed to China, including at the highest level, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said.

Swaraj, in a letter to Congress MP Mullappally Ramachandran, appreciated his concern over distribution of controversial maps by China to its military.

Ramachandran had raised the issue in Lok Sabha on July 22.

He had pointed out that China was trying to reinforce its claim over Arunachal Pradesh by distributing "controversial updated maps" to its military and wanted to know whether the matter was highlighted during the recent deliberations with Chinese leaders.

"China disputes the international boundary between India and China. In the eastern sector, China claims approximately 90,000 sq kms of Indian territory in the state of Arunachal Pradesh," Swaraj told Ramachandran in the letter.

Besides, Indian territory under the occupation of China in Jammu and Kashmir is approximately 38,000 sq kms. In addition, under the so called China-Pakistan "boundary agreement" signed between China and Pakistan on March 2,1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq kms of Indian territory in Pakistan occupied Kashmir to China, she said.

"The fact that Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are integral and inalienable parts of India has been clearly conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions, including at the highest level," Swaraj said in the letter.