New Delhi (National Times): In a firm and unequivocal message to Beijing, India has dismissed China’s latest attempt to rename several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it a “senseless and futile exercise.” The Ministry of External Affairs declared on Wednesday that such actions will never alter the ground reality.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the MEA, said:
“We categorically reject these attempts. Creative naming will not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always remain, an integral and inalienable part of India.”
The statement follows China’s issuance of a new list of “standardised” names for locations inside Arunachal Pradesh — a move seen as part of Beijing’s efforts to assert claims over the Indian state. India has strongly countered these assertions in every instance.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, commenting on past renaming efforts by China, had said:
“By doing it repeatedly, it is still senseless. Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be a part of India.”
He had also emphasised the importance of sending a message that is “very, very clear — not just to people within India, but also beyond.”
India has consistently maintained that such tactics by China are part of a propaganda strategy, one that holds no weight in international law or public perception.
The timing of China’s move has also raised eyebrows, with analysts suggesting it may be linked to broader geopolitical tensions and China’s internal messaging strategy.
India, meanwhile, remains resolute in its stance — that sovereignty is not dictated by cartographic manipulation or name games, but by historical and legal truths.
