India has vehemently rejected China’s latest move to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a region at the center of territorial disputes between the two nations. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs recently released 30 new names for various geographical features in the area, sparking a fresh round of tensions.
According to reports from the Global Times, the renaming exercise covered a range of features including residential areas, mountains, rivers, and a lake, with names provided in Tibetan and pinyin, the Romanized form of Mandarin Chinese. This move follows previous attempts by Beijing to assert its claims over the region, with earlier rounds of renaming dating back to 2017.
In response, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson issued a statement firmly rejecting China’s actions, emphasizing that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar echoed these sentiments, labeling China’s actions as “senseless” and reiterating India’s rejection of such attempts.
The latest confrontation adds to existing strains in the relationship between the two Asian giants. Recent criticisms from Beijing over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh further exacerbated tensions, with New Delhi dismissing China’s objections.
Despite ongoing disputes, India and China engaged in border talks last week, aiming to address longstanding issues and achieve disengagement along the Line of Actual Control. However, no significant breakthroughs were reported from the discussions, underscoring the persistent challenges in resolving the border dispute.
Meanwhile, the involvement of external actors, notably the United States, has added another layer of complexity to the situation. Washington’s recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as part of India and its condemnation of China’s actions have drawn strong reactions from Beijing. Chinese authorities have criticized the U.S. stance, suggesting it could further complicate the already tense situation.
