The Indian government on Wednesday strongly opposed China’s latest attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. This move by Beijing, which claims the Indian state as part of its territory, has drawn a sharp and clear response from New Delhi.
MEA Dismisses China’s Actions as Meaningless
Reacting to the development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called China’s attempt “futile and baseless.” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the government had taken note of China’s repeated efforts to change the names of locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
He said, “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.”
India Stresses Arunachal Is Inseparable
The MEA emphasized that changing names cannot change facts. It clearly stated that Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be part of India.
“Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” the ministry added in its statement.
This response signals that India will not accept any claim that questions its sovereignty over the state.
China Renames Places to Reinforce Its Claim
China had recently announced new Chinese names for several places in Arunachal Pradesh. This is not the first time it has tried to do so. Beijing continues to claim Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Chinese government refers to it as “Zangnan,” or southern Tibet.
By renaming places, China aims to strengthen its claim over the region. However, India has consistently rejected such efforts and insisted that Arunachal Pradesh is a full-fledged Indian state with a democratically elected government.
India Maintains Strong Position on Borders
India has repeatedly made it clear that no external force can decide the status of its territories. The country considers Arunachal Pradesh an inseparable part of its northeastern region and continues to invest in infrastructure and development in the state.
This latest statement by the MEA reaffirms India’s firm position amid rising tensions along the India-China border and ongoing disputes over territorial claims.
