India Rejects China’s ‘Preposterous’ Renaming of Arunachal Pradesh Locations, Asserts Sovereignty

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 14th May:  India has categorically rejected China’s renewed attempts to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that such actions do not and will never change the ground realities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This sharp response comes after Beijing released its fourth list of “standardised” names for places in Arunachal Pradesh in April 2024, as part of its long-standing policy of laying claim to India’s northeastern state.

The latest list was published by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA), and is seen as yet another provocative move by Beijing to stake symbolic claims over the Indian territory it refers to as “Zangnan”.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the move in strong terms:

“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. 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 rejection was echoed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who ridiculed China’s renaming campaign with a pointed analogy:

“If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect.”

Jaishankar emphasized that India’s armed forces are fully alert and positioned at the LAC, saying:

“Our army is deployed at the Line of Actual Control, they know what is to be done.”

Beijing’s Symbolic Claim, India’s Firm Stand

China began issuing renamed lists of locations in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its strategy to assert territorial claims through cartographic aggression and symbolic narratives. The fourth list, issued in April, included names of mountain peaks, rivers, and residential areas — part of a broader tactic employed by Beijing to bolster its claim over the region.

India, however, maintains a firm legal and historical position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the Indian Union, with its residents being full citizens enjoying democratic rights.

The tensions come amid China’s increasing global outreach, including efforts to deepen ties with Latin American nations, a strategic pivot aimed at counterbalancing its deteriorating relations with key powers like the U.S. and India. Analysts view China’s Arunachal actions as part of an assertive foreign policy driven by nationalistic internal messaging and military posturing along contested borders.

Despite multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks post the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, India-China border tensions remain unresolved, especially in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. Both sides have continued to deploy troops along sensitive zones and bolster infrastructure.

India’s response to China’s latest renaming exercise signals a clear message of non-tolerance toward cartographic aggression. As geopolitical complexities in Asia deepen, New Delhi has made it clear that symbolic provocations will not be allowed to dictate facts on the ground.

“Changing names will not change geography, sovereignty, or reality,” a senior Indian official commented — summing up India’s stance as one of unwavering clarity in the face of Chinese assertiveness.