What you need to know
*Here's a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Wednesday, August 20, 2026: *
- Sergio Gor called Jammu and Kashmir as an 'important part of India'
- Pakistan summoned top US envoy in Islamabad and condemned the remark
- Indian authorities removed safety barricades outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi
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US ambassador's Kashmir remark sparks India-Pakistan spat
Indian authorities on Thursday removed safety barricades outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, a day after Pakistan objected to US ambassador to India's remarks describing Jammu and Kashmir as an "important part of India."
On Wednesday, Sergio Gor made the remarks during his first visit to Kashmir, adding that Washington would reconsider its travel advisory for the region. The US currently places most of Jammu and Kashmir, excluding eastern Ladakh and Leh, under a Level 4 "Do not travel" advisory, citing terrorism and civil unrest.
Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part, creating a decades-long flashpoint between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
On Wednesday, Pakistan summoned Washington's top envoy in Islamabad and "strongly condemned and categorically rejected" remarks by Gor.
"It was underscored that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Indian authorities early on Thursday dismantled the safety barricades and traffic bollards outside Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, reports said. This included queue barriers near the visa section.
Rijiju dismisses claims of Chinese incursion
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the government is committed to developing infrastructure in border areas after dismissing claims of Chinese incursion in the eastern Arunachal Pradesh state.
Rijiju said border development had been neglected under previous governments but was now a "top priority" under the Modi government.
The minister was in Arunachal recently to oversee critical infrastructure projects.
Earlier, Rijiju dismissed claims that China had made a 60-km incursion into Arunachal Pradesh, calling them "incorrect" and saying such reports could undermine the morale of Indian security forces and create confusion.
Rijiju said the India-China border in the state remains undemarcated in several areas.
Welcome to our coverage
Hello! This is Shakeel from DW's New Delhi studio bringing you the latest updates from across India.
It's a cloudy morning in Delhi today, but perhaps not as cloudy as the strained relations between India and Pakistan after US envoy Sergio Gor's remarks on Kashmir caused a furor.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Narendra Modi government is committed to developing infrastructure in border areas, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, amid allegations of Chinese intrusion.
The fallout from the Cockroach protests continues to reverberate through the power corridors of New Delhi, with the government briefing cabinet ministers on their social media engagement and asking them to engage with Gen Z.
For all this and more, follow our live blog.