Guwahati: India on Sunday said that any attempt by China to assign fictitious names to locations in Indian territory would undermine ongoing efforts to stabilise and normalise bilateral relations.
Responding to media queries on reports of China renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal categorically rejected the move, calling it a “mischievous attempt” that cannot alter ground realities.
“India categorically rejects any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India,” Jaiswal said.
He added that such actions by China “manufacture baseless narratives” and do not change the undeniable reality that these regions are, and will remain, an integral part of India.
“These attempts by the Chinese side at introducing false claims cannot alter the reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he said.
The MEA spokesperson further said that such developments are detrimental to efforts aimed at improving bilateral ties between the two countries.
“China should refrain from actions which inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to create better understanding,” he added.
The comments come after reports that China has released another list renaming locations in what it refers to as “Zangnan”, a term used by Beijing for Arunachal Pradesh. China has previously issued similar lists in 2017, 2021, and 2023, asserting claims over the region.
India has consistently rejected these claims, reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of the country.