India has firmly rejected China's efforts to rename regions in Arunachal Pradesh. The rejection was made on Tuesday, and India has made it clear that it does not recognize any such changes made by China. India emphasized that such actions do not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh remains an inseparable part of India.

This response was prompted by China’s announcement of Chinese names for an additional 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a region that China regards as the southern part of Tibet.

“China’s continuous efforts to rename locations in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh are futile. We strongly oppose such actions,” stated Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs.

He further clarified that “Creating new names will not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will continue to be an integral and indivisible part of India,” in response to media inquiries on the issue.

The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs recently published the fourth list of standardized geographical names in Zangnan, the Chinese term for Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing considers part of southern Tibet, as reported by the state-run Global Times on Sunday.

India had also expressed strong disapproval last April when Beijing released the third list of standardized names for 11 locations in Arunachal Pradesh.

The first set of standardized names for six locations in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017, followed by a second set for 15 locations in 2021.

rename regions
Image : Jagran English

India’s Stance on Arunachal Pradesh

On March 28, India stated that no matter how many times Beijing reiterates its unfounded claims over Arunachal Pradesh, it will not alter New Delhi’s stance that the state has always been and will continue to be an integral and indivisible part of the country.

Jaiswal made this statement during his weekly press briefing, responding to a question about China’s ongoing insistence on its claim over Arunachal Pradesh.

During his visit to Gujarat, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed on Monday that Arunachal Pradesh has always been, is, and will continue to be a state of India.

At a press conference in Surat, he stated that nothing would be achieved by changing names. “If I rename your house, does it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh has always been, is, and will continue to be a state of India. Nothing is achieved by changing names,” Jaishankar stated.

The relationship between India and China has been severely strained since the eastern Ladakh border dispute that began in May 2020.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a confrontation lasting over three years at certain friction points in eastern Ladakh, even though the two sides have disengaged from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military discussions.

India has consistently emphasized that peace and tranquility along the LAC are crucial for the normalization of overall relations.

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