Arunachal is integral part of India, MEA reiterates amid China row

The MEA has reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an "inalienable and integral part of India," a statement made after India formally identified 27 locations in the state by their standard names, countering China's attempts to rename them.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an "inalienable and integral part of India", referring to the row with China over renaming places in the border state. "Let me reiterate this once again that Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable and integral part of India and this is a fact that is self-evident. At the same time, let me also underline that nothing can change this indisputable reality," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a media briefing.

India Standardizes Names of 27 Locations

The remarks came after India formally identified 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names on the official Survey of India map, amid China's repeated attempts to assign Chinese names to places in the state. The government highlighted that the step is intended to guarantee precise geographical recognition of these sites whilst enhancing public awareness regarding their historical and spatial importance.

New Delhi has steadfastly dismissed Beijing's practice of inventing nomenclature for areas within Arunachal Pradesh, categorising such endeavours as "vain and preposterous" and maintaining that such actions can never alter the fundamental reality that the state "was, is, and will" remain an intrinsic part of India.

Historically Significant Sites Named

Several among the 27 designated sites possess immense strategic and historical resonance, including Long Ju, which witnessed an early Sino-Indian military clash in 1959, and Thag La, where initial engagements of the 1962 conflict unfolded. The official list further incorporates Jairampur, a key logistical centre in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, alongside Jaswant Garh and the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial, both erected to honour the valorous Indian soldiers of the 1962 war.

Countering Beijing's 'Fictitious' Claims

This decisive measure follows Beijing releasing multiple lists of fabricated designations for territories in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as "Zangnan". China issued its inaugural list of six names in 2017, followed by 15 designations in 2021 and an additional 11 in 2023. India has consistently repudiated these assertions as "fictitious", stressing that such unilateral attempts merely seek to manufacture "baseless narratives" without impacting ground reality. (ANI)

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