New Delhi, April 2, 2024 – India has unequivocally rejected China's recent move to unilaterally rename 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating that the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of India. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strong statement today, dismissing Beijing's attempt to assign "invented names" to geographical features within Indian territory.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on April 2 that "assigning invented names will not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India." He described China's actions as part of "baseless narratives" that "cannot alter reality," emphasizing India's consistent position on its sovereignty over the region.

China's Ministry of Civil Affairs released a fourth list of "standardized" geographical names in "Zangnan," Beijing's term for Arunachal Pradesh, on March 30. The list comprises 30 places, including residential areas, mountains, rivers, and other geographical features, which China claims fall within its territory in southern Tibet. This latest renaming effort marks an escalation in China's assertive claims over the Indian state.

The 30 renamed places are categorized as:

  • 11 residential areas
  • 12 mountains
  • 4 rivers
  • 1 lake
  • 1 mountain pass
  • 1 land tract

This is not the first instance of China attempting to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing has previously issued similar lists on at least three other occasions:

  • 2017: Six places were renamed.
  • 2021: 15 places were renamed.
  • 2023: 11 places were renamed.

Each time, India has firmly and consistently rejected these unilateral actions, maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh is sovereign Indian territory. The renaming efforts are widely viewed as part of China's strategy to bolster its territorial claims along the disputed 3,488-kilometer Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The India-China relationship has faced significant strain following a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. While diplomatic and military talks have continued to address border issues, this latest move by China underscores the ongoing complexities and heightened tensions over territorial disputes.

The Indian government remains resolute in its stance that such unilateral actions by China lack any legal basis and do not impact India's legitimate territorial claims. New Delhi continues to affirm its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and is expected to maintain its firm diplomatic position in the face of these repeated challenges. The development signals continued friction on border issues between the two Asian giants.