If I change your home's name, will it become mine? Jaishankar slams China's bid to rename Arunachal villages
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar firmly rebutted China's recent move to rename villages in Arunachal Pradesh as a means to assert sovereignty claims over the Indian state. Jaishankar emphasized that mere changes in nomenclature do not alter the ground realities or the sovereignty of the region, reiterating India's stance that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will remain an integral part of India
FollowForeign Minister S Jaishankar has responded to China's provocative step of renaming several villages in Arunachal Pradesh to assert its sovereignty claims over the Indian state, saying that mere changes in nomenclature do not alter the ground realities or the sovereignty of the region. Speaking to media persons during a two-day visit to Gujarat, Jaishankar firmly reiterated India's stance, stating that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will remain an integral part of India.
China provokes India again! Beijing releases new list of 30 names for areas in Arunachal Pradesh
"If I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was an Indian state, is an Indian state and will remain so in the future. Nothing will be gained by changing names," the minister said.
This development follows China's release of a fresh list of "standardised geographical names" for 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Zangnan. It marks the fourth instance of China renaming villages in the northeastern state.
The tensions between the two countries over Arunachal Pradesh have been ongoing, with China expressing objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to the region earlier this year. Despite China's objections, India has consistently reaffirmed its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the state-run Global Times, the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has unveiled a list of standardized geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh, referred to as "Zangnan" by Beijing, as part of its territorial claims over the region, which it considers as southern Tibet. The list, published on the ministry's official website, is slated to be enforced starting May 1. As per Article 13 of the implementation guidelines, any usage of place names in foreign languages that are perceived to undermine China's territorial sovereignty without authorization is prohibited.
China has previously issued three similar lists of standardized geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh. The first list, comprising six places, was released in 2017, followed by a list of 15 places in 2021, and another list covering 11 places in 2023. These actions reflect China's persistent efforts to assert its territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, despite India's opposition and reaffirmation of the region's status as an integral part of the country.
