NEW DELHI: “Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be a state of India.”
This was affirmed by external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday (April 01).
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Jaishankar made this remark while responding to recent ‘re-naming’ of as many as 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh.
Jaishankar, in response to Chinese actions, drew a parallel by asking, “If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine?”
He emphasized that altering names does not alter the territorial status of Arunachal Pradesh.
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Furthermore, he reiterated India’s firm stance by stating, “Our army is deployed there (Line of Actual Control).”
Also read: China renames 30 more places in Arunachal Pradesh
China issued another list of thirty geographical names in ‘Zangnan’, the region of Arunachal Pradesh in India.
This action adds to the existing tensions between the two countries regarding China’s territorial assertions over Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the Chinese state media, the country’s ministry of civil affairs unveiled the fourth list of “standardized geographical names” of thirty places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it recognised as ‘Zangnan’.
The Chinese release includes thirty names officially acknowledged as publicly used in Arunachal Pradesh.
China had previously ‘standardized’ eleven names in Aruncahal Pradesh using Chinese characters, Tibetan, and pinyin in April 2023, constituting the third list.
The first list was issued in 2017, followed by the second in 2021.
Also read: Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections 2024: 133 candidates in fray for 50 seats
China, which refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan, has reiterated its claim over the region as an integral part of its territory.
It staunchly rejects what it deems as the “illegally established” Arunachal Pradesh by India.
This move follows China’s protests against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh to inaugurate the strategic Sela Tunnel.
India has consistently reaffirmed that Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of the country.
“Our stance on Arunachal Pradesh is crystal clear and has been reiterated time and again. China’s baseless assertions will not alter our position,” stated Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs (MEA), in response to China’s actions.