India has firmly rejected China's latest attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, calling the action "preposterous" and reiterating that the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of India. ThisStrong condemnation follows Beijing's announcement of Chinese names for several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a region China claims as "Zangnan" or the southern part of Tibet.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a strong statement asserting India's position. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh". He further added, "Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India".

This is not the first time China has attempted to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing has previously released lists of "standardized" names in 2017, 2021, 2023 and 2024. India has consistently dismissed these attempts. In April of last year, India reacted sharply when China released a list of standardized names for 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh.

China's actions are viewed as a way to assert its territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, a claim that India strongly disputes. The region is strategically important and has been a point of contention between the two countries for decades. The Sino-Indian border dispute stems from British colonial-era border agreements, especially the McMahon Line, which was drawn in 1914 during the Simla Convention between British India and Tibet but was never accepted by China.

The Line of Actual Control (LAC) separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. However, the LAC is not a formally demarcated border, and differing interpretations of its alignment have led to tensions and military clashes.

China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan, claiming it as part of its territory. India, however, has maintained that Arunachal Pradesh "was, is, and will" always be an integral part of India. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also stated that renaming places will not make Arunachal Pradesh part of China.

The recent renaming attempt by China comes amidst efforts to normalize relations following the eastern Ladakh border standoff. In October 2024, India and China reached an agreement over patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border area, which would lead to disengagement and resolution of the long-running conflict that began in 2020. Despite these efforts, the border dispute remains unresolved, and China's actions continue to be a source of friction between the two countries.