New Delhi: India firmly rebuffed Chinese objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the northeastern state remains an integral part of India’s territory. The Indian foreign ministry’s response came in the wake of Chinese protests against Modi’s activities in the region, with Beijing lodging a diplomatic protest with India.
During his visit on Saturday, Modi inaugurated key infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh, including a tunnel aimed at enhancing all-weather connectivity to the strategically vital border area of Tawang. This tunnel is anticipated to facilitate swifter and more efficient troop movements in the frontier region.
Despite China’s claim of Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet, India has consistently maintained that the state is an inherent part of its territory. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized the routine nature of Indian leaders’ visits to Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that objections to such visits or India’s developmental projects lack validity.
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Jaiswal reiterated, “The state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.”
The border dispute between India and China spans a 3,000-km frontier, much of which remains poorly demarcated. Tensions escalated in 2020 following deadly clashes in the western Himalayas, resulting in casualties on both sides. Subsequently, both countries bolstered their military presence along the border, reflecting their longstanding unease stemming from a border conflict in 1962.
China’s recent actions, including assigning Chinese names to 11 locations in Arunachal Pradesh last year, have further escalated tensions between the two neighbors.
