Days following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, China has again claimed the region as part of its territory. The Financial Times reported that Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang of the Chinese Defence Ministry labeled Arunachal Pradesh, which India governs, as an essential part of China, referring to it as the southern part of Tibet.
This statement comes as India continues to enhance its military presence in the region, notably with the construction of the Sela Tunnel, which is aimed at improving access for Indian troops along the border with China. The tunnel, costing Rs 825 crore, is significant for its strategic location and construction feats, being the world’s longest two-lane road tunnel at such a high elevation.
China‘s claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls South Tibet, is not new, as it frequently objects to visits by Indian officials to the area. India, however, firmly rejects these claims, insisting that Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of its territory and disregards China‘s naming conventions for the region as baseless.
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In response to PM Modi’s trip, Zhang criticized the visit as counterproductive to easing border tensions, calling for India to avoid actions that complicate the situation further. Despite these tensions, Zhang mentioned that the border situation remains generally stable, thanks to ongoing diplomatic and military dialogues between the two countries.
India‘s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated India‘s position, stating that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will” remain an integral part of India, dismissing China‘s objections as unfounded. This back-and-forth over Arunachal Pradesh is part of a broader set of territorial disputes between India and China, which have seen tensions in the past.
As reported by The Financial Times, the diplomatic spat over Modi’s visit highlights the ongoing challenges in China-India relations, with both sides standing firm on their territorial claims. The situation underscores the delicate balance of maintaining peace and asserting sovereignty in the region.
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