India has strongly rejected China’s latest attempt to assign new names to places in Arunachal Pradesh, calling the move baseless and reiterating that the state remains an integral part of the country. The MEA warned that such actions undermine efforts to stabilise India-China relations.
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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday, April 12, said India “categorically rejects” attempts by China to assign fictitious names to places that form part of Indian territory.
Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such moves involve “false claims” and “baseless narratives” that cannot alter the reality that these areas, including Arunachal Pradesh, “were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
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Our response to media queries regarding China giving fictitious names to places ⬇️
???? https://t.co/j6WPzitrh2 pic.twitter.com/NDK1ZACyUZ
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 12, 2026
The statement added that such actions detract from ongoing efforts to stabilise and normalise India-China bilateral ties, urging China to refrain from steps that inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to build a better understanding.Also Read: Delhi plans 19.2-km Yamuna elevated road, metro expansion to ease traffic and boost connectivity
New Delhi’s reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for several places in Arunachal Pradesh.
Earlier in May 2025, India had similarly rejected Beijing’s attempt to rename 27 places, calling it “preposterous.”
China has undertaken similar exercises in 2017, 2021, 2023 and 2024, often coinciding with periods of heightened border tensions; the first such move in 2017 came after the Dalai Lama visited the state.
Also Read: Philippines says any energy deals with China must respect its sovereignty/div>
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(Edited by : priyanka deshpande)
