NEW DELHI: The Indian government has firmly rejected China’s latest attempt to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it a “vain and preposterous” effort to assert territorial claims. In a strongly worded statement, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s stance that the northeastern state is an integral part of India.
“We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically,” he said.
Jaiswal underscored that “creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality” of India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he said.
New Delhi’s reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh, including 15 mountains, four passes, two rivers, a lake and five inhabited areas. Beijing’s move marks the latest in a series of similar steps, as China continues to claim the Indian state as part of southern Tibet.
India’s sharp response comes at a time when regional dynamics remain tense, particularly with Pakistan, and Beijing’s actions are likely to be seen as more than coincidental.
The MEA’s rejection also is an indicator of continued friction between the two Asian powers over territorial disputes, with Arunachal Pradesh remaining a consistent flashpoint in bilateral relations.
Beijing’s decision comes amid efforts by the two countries to normalise ties hit by the more than four-year-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh along the LAC.
After a gap of nearly five years, India and China last month decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a move that was seen as an attempt to repair the relationship. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was suspended initially in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequently because of the military standoff between the two sides on the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
The militaries of India and China completed disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang.