Archive · 12 Aug 2026
MEA Reiterates Arunachal Pradesh Integral to India Amid China Row
India and China are two big neighboring countries.
They disagree about a special place in India called Arunachal Pradesh.
India says Arunachal Pradesh has always been a part of India.
China says the same land belongs to them and calls it by a different name, 'Zangnan'.
China gave new Chinese names to some places there.
India wanted to show that the places have Indian names, so it put the official names of 27 places on an official map.
Some of these places are remembered because soldiers from both countries fought there long ago.
India's spokesperson said nothing can change the fact that the land is part of India.
He also said keeping peace along the border between the two countries is very important.
The two countries still do not agree about the names or the land.
The MEA rejected China's criticism and reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an 'inalienable and integral part of India' during a Tuesday media briefing.
India formally identified 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names on the official Survey of India map on August 7.
The move comes amid China's repeated attempts to assign Chinese names to places in the state, which it claims as 'Zangnan'.
Key named sites include Long Ju, Thag La, Jairampur, Jaswant Garh and the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial, linked to the 1959 and 1962 Sino-Indian clashes.
MEA said border issues are 'most serious' and peace along the Line of Actual Control is of 'utmost importance', as ties rebuild after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
- Who
- India's Ministry of External Affairs, represented by spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, and China, which claims the territory as 'Zangnan'.
- What
- India reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an 'inalienable and integral part of India' after formally identifying 27 locations in the state by their standard names on the official Survey of India map.
- When
- Tuesday, August 11, during a regular MEA press briefing; the formal identification of the 27 places was announced on August 7.
- Where
- New Delhi, India, regarding Arunachal Pradesh, a border state claimed by both countries.
- Why
- In response to China's criticism and its repeated attempts to assign Chinese names to places in Arunachal Pradesh, which India calls 'vain and preposterous' and 'fictitious'.
India's Position
China's Position
Sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh
India's Position
Arunachal Pradesh is an 'inalienable and integral part of India', a 'self-evident' fact and 'indisputable reality' that 'was, is, and will' remain Indian.
China's Position
China claims the territory as 'Zangnan' and has repeatedly issued its own designations for places within it.
Legitimacy of place names
India's Position
India formally identified 27 locations by their standard names on the official Survey of India map to guarantee precise geographical recognition and enhance public awareness of their historical and spatial importance.
China's Position
China has issued multiple lists of names for places in the area, starting with six in 2017, followed by 15 in 2021 and 11 in 2023.
Impact of the naming actions
India's Position
New Delhi dismisses Beijing's naming efforts as 'vain and preposterous' and 'fictitious', saying they merely manufacture 'baseless narratives' without impacting ground reality.
China's Position
China continues to publish its own designations for territories it claims, seeking to establish its naming narrative over the region.
- MEA position
- Arunachal Pradesh is an 'inalienable and integral part of India' — a 'self-evident' and 'indisputable reality'
- Locations identified
- 27 sites named on the official Survey of India map
- MEA spokesperson
- Randhir Jaiswal
- China's name for the region
- Zangnan
- China's name lists
- 6 names (2017), 15 names (2021), 11 names (2023)
- Key sites named
- Long Ju, Thag La, Jairampur, Jaswant Garh, Sher-e-Thapa Memorial
- India's characterization of China's naming
- 'Vain and preposterous', 'fictitious', 'baseless narratives'
- MEA on the LAC
- Peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control is of 'utmost importance'; border issues are 'most serious'
