India rejects China’s move to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, calls it ‘mischievous’

India has strongly rejected China’s latest attempt to rename several places in Arunachal Pradesh, terming it a “mischievous” move and reiterating that the state remains an integral part of the country.

The response came on April 12 after Beijing announced Chinese names for multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a region China claims as part of what it calls “South Tibet.”

Reacting to the development, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India “categorically rejects” such attempts, describing them as efforts to assign “fictitious names” to Indian territory.

He emphasised that such actions cannot alter the “undeniable reality” that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”

The MEA further stated that China’s move is based on “false claims” and “baseless narratives,” and warned that these actions risk undermining ongoing efforts to stabilise and normalise bilateral relations between the two countries.

India also urged China to refrain from steps that “inject negativity” into ties and instead work towards improving mutual understanding.

The issue of renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh has surfaced repeatedly in recent years, with China periodically releasing lists of new names as part of its territorial claims. New Delhi has consistently rejected these moves, maintaining that they have no legal or factual basis.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a disputed border with China, and the region has long been a point of contention in India-China relations. Despite periodic diplomatic and military engagements aimed at easing tensions, differences over territorial claims continue to persist.