India delivered a strong rebuke to Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly on January 15, 2026, asserting that the principle of self-determination should not be exploited to promote secession in democratic and pluralistic nations. Counsellor Eldos Mathew Punnoose, from India's Permanent Mission to the U.N., articulated India's stance during a discussion on the UN Secretary-General's annual report. This firm statement came in response to Pakistan's Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who once again made an "unwarranted reference" to Jammu and Kashmir. India highlighted that Pakistan consistently misuses international platforms to propagate a "divisive agenda" and spread "falsehoods" regarding Jammu and Kashmir. Punnoose emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir remains an "integral and inalienable part of India." India noted that while Pakistan is "habituated" to raising the Kashmir issue irrespective of the agenda, these attempts routinely fail to gain significant international support or traction. The Indian diplomat urged Pakistan to refrain from such baseless allegations that are detached from reality. This diplomatic exchange underscores the ongoing tensions between the two nations regarding the Kashmir issue, often played out on global stages like the United Nations.