External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has once again criticized China for issuing new names for Indian territories, rebuffing Beijing’s attempts to assert its claims over the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Jaishankar’s remarks came in response to China releasing a fourth list of 30 new names for various places in Arunachal Pradesh. India has consistently rejected China’s attempts to rename places in Arunachal, emphasizing that the state is an integral part of India and that assigning “invented” names does not change this fact.
Addressing the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce, Jaishankar posed a rhetorical question, saying, “If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India.” He reiterated India’s stance, stating that changing names does not alter the reality on the ground, particularly highlighting the presence of the Indian army along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China’s recent actions to assert its claims over Arunachal Pradesh began with lodging a diplomatic protest over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region. In response, Jaishankar dismissed China’s claims as “ludicrous” and affirmed Arunachal Pradesh’s status as a natural part of India during a lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies.
The United States also weighed in on the issue, reaffirming its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and opposing any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control.
As tensions persist between India and China over territorial disputes, Jaishankar’s remarks underscore India’s firm stance on the matter and its commitment to safeguarding its territorial integrity.
