New Delhi: In a strongly worded statement, India on Wednesday rejected China’s latest attempt to rename several places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that such moves will not change the reality of the state’s status as an integral and inalienable part of the country.
The statement came in response to Beijing’s announcement assigning Chinese names to certain places in Arunachal Pradesh — a region China claims as part of “southern Tibet”. India, however, has consistently maintained that the state is an inalienable part of its sovereign territory.
Our response to media queries on renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh by China (May 14, 2025)
🔗 https://t.co/5XtzF8ImUJ pic.twitter.com/1edyuqRpog
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 14, 2025
India dismisses move as gimmick
“We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically.”
Dismissing the move as a gimmick, Jaiswal added, “Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
Not the first attempt by Beijing
This is not the first time China has attempted to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. In the past few years, Beijing has released multiple lists renaming locations in the state. Analysyts view Beijing’s strategy as an attempt to assert its territorial claims over the northeastern Indian state.
Tensions between India and China have remained high since the 2020 border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The two nuclear-armed neighbours have since held multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks to ease tensions.
