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👉 Check Today's Deals on Amazon IndiaIndia Rejects China’s Renaming of Arunachal Pradesh
NEW DELHI: India has strongly condemned China’s recent attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, categorically rejecting what it calls “mischievous attempts” to assign fictitious names to territories that are indisputably part of India.
Official Statement from the Ministry of External Affairs
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement indicating that such actions undermine current efforts to stabilize and normalize the relationship between India and China. The government urged Beijing to avoid actions that contribute to negativity in bilateral ties.
China has renamed 23 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, marking the sixth similar exercise in the last decade, as part of its ongoing claim over this region, which it refers to as Zangnan.
MEA’s Firm Assertion on Territorial Integrity
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal affirmed, “Such attempts by China at introducing false claims and manufacturing baseless narratives cannot alter the undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
China’s Strategic Moves in Xinjiang
India’s response also coincides with reports from Beijing regarding the establishment of a new county in Xinjiang, aimed at enhancing security along the narrow Wakhan Corridor to counter the infiltration of Uyghur separatist militants. This new county, named Cenling, is situated near the Karakoram mountain range and close to borders with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan, highlighting its strategic importance.
Previous Renaming Attempts and Indian Protests
Notably, this is the third new county China has established in Xinjiang, a predominantly Muslim Uyghur region, within just over a year. India had previously lodged formal protests regarding the creation of Hean and Hekang counties due to jurisdictional overlaps with Ladakh.
China’s Historical Renaming Efforts
China has previously renamed places in Arunachal Pradesh on five occasions: in 2017, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The most recent instance in 2025 prompted India to label the move as absurd, reiterating that such creative naming will not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh remains a vital and inseparable part of India.
Tibet and Claims Over Arunachal Pradesh
China’s claims extend beyond Tawang, encompassing the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh, which it considers part of “South Tibet.” The Tibetan government-in-exile maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is part of India, noting significant historical and cultural ties, such as the importance of the Tawang monastery in Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama.
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