Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 19: India has once again strongly objected to Pakistan’s persistent attempts to raise issues related to India’s internal matters at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), calling it a misuse of the platform for political propaganda.
During a press briefing ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri dismissed Pakistan’s statements at the OIC as “habitual shenanigans” and reiterated India's stance on the matter.
“This is a longstanding practice by Pakistan, and we have consistently raised our concerns with our partners in the OIC,” Misri stated, underlining that India will continue to bring these misleading narratives to the attention of OIC members.
The OIC, which comprises 57 member states across four continents, positions itself as the collective voice of the Muslim world. However, India has long criticized the platform for allowing itself to be used by Pakistan to push anti-India narratives, especially on Jammu and Kashmir.
India has repeatedly emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of the country and that the OIC has no standing in matters internal to India. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has often pointed out Pakistan’s own troubling record on religious intolerance and minority persecution, urging the OIC not to enable such propaganda.
“It is regrettable that the OIC continues to allow itself to be used by a certain country with a poor record on religious freedom and extremism,” India has said in previous official statements.
India’s robust diplomatic outreach to the Islamic world has grown significantly under PM Modi’s leadership. Over the past decade, New Delhi has deepened its ties with Muslim-majority countries across South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East—particularly the Gulf region, which is vital to India’s energy security and economic interests.
India currently sources over 60% of its crude oil from the Gulf and maintains bilateral trade with OIC member nations worth over $200 billion.
PM Modi is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on April 22–23 at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. This marks his third visit to the Kingdom, following his trips in 2016 and 2019. The visit comes after the Crown Prince’s participation in the G20 Summit in New Delhi last year and the inaugural session of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.