"Arunachal is integral part of India, nothing can change this": MEA on China's fresh "objections"
New Delhi, August 11
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an "inalienable and integral part of India", referring to the row with China over renaming places in the border state.
"Let me reiterate this once again that Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable and integral part of India and this is a fact that is self-evident. At the same time, let me also underline that nothing can change this indisputable reality," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a media briefing.
The remarks came after India formally identified 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names on the official Survey of India map, amid China's repeated attempts to assign Chinese names to places in the state.
The government highlighted that the step is intended to guarantee precise geographical recognition of these sites whilst enhancing public awareness regarding their historical and spatial importance.
New Delhi has steadfastly dismissed Beijing's practice of inventing nomenclature for areas within Arunachal Pradesh, categorising such endeavours as "vain and preposterous" and maintaining that such actions can never alter the fundamental reality that the state "was, is, and will" remain an intrinsic part of India.
Several among the 27 designated sites possess immense strategic and historical resonance, including Long Ju, which witnessed an early Sino-Indian military clash in 1959, and Thag La, where initial engagements of the 1962 conflict unfolded.
The official list further incorporates Jairampur, a key logistical centre in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, alongside Jaswant Garh and the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial, both erected to honour the valorous Indian soldiers of the 1962 war.
This decisive measure follows Beijing releasing multiple lists of fabricated designations for territories in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as "Zangnan".
China issued its inaugural list of six names in 2017, followed by 15 designations in 2021 and an additional 11 in 2023.
India has consistently repudiated these assertions as "fictitious", stressing that such unilateral attempts merely seek to manufacture "baseless narratives" without impacting ground reality.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's good that India is formally identifying these locations on official maps. But we need to do more than just naming - we need to strengthen our infrastructure and presence in border areas. The people of Arunachal are Indians and that's the bottom line.
The naming of places like Long Ju and Thag La reminds us of the sacrifices made by our soldiers in 1962. Naming these locations is a tribute to their bravery. India must never forget and never falter when it comes to protecting its borders. 🙏
As someone who's lived in India all my life, I never doubted that Arunachal is ours. This is just a strong message to Beijing that their "fictitious" names won't change anything. Glad to see our government being firm and clear on this.
This is the right response to China's repeated provocations. But I wonder if we could do more internationally - maybe raise this at the UN or other multilateral forums to build more awareness and support. Just naming places on our maps is a start, not an end.
It's high time we took stronger measures. The Chinese have been doing this for years now - 6 names, then 15, then 11 more. We should be more proactive in showcasing our rich cultural and historical ties to these places. The youth needs to know the sacrifices made for these lands! 💪
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