New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday strongly reaffirmed India’s unwavering position on Arunachal Pradesh amid renewed focus on the issue following a recent incident involving an Indian traveller in China.
At a routine press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s long-standing stance, saying, “We have stated many times that Arunachal Pradesh is and will remain an integral part of India, and we do not want any interference in it.”
The MEA’s remarks came alongside a cautionary travel advisory issued for Indian nationals visiting or transiting through China. This advisory follows the detention of an Arunachal Pradesh–born Indian citizen at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport last month.
Jaiswal shared India’s concern over the treatment of Indian travellers at Chinese airports and urged China to adhere to established international aviation norms.
“We fully share your concern following the recent incident at Shanghai airport that you have cited,” he said. “We expect the Chinese authorities to provide assurances that Indian citizens transiting through Chinese airports will not be selectively targeted, arbitrarily detained or harassed, and that regulations governing international air travel will be respected. MEA would advise Indian nationals to exercise due discretion while travelling to or transiting through China.”
Indian National Detained in Shanghai
The advisory was prompted by the case of Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian passport holder based in the UK, who was detained by Chinese immigration authorities during a layover in Shanghai on November 21.
Officials reportedly questioned the legitimacy of her travel documents because her place of birth is Arunachal Pradesh—territory China claims as its own. Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan and later narrated her ordeal on social media after exiting China.
On November 24, official sources confirmed that India issued a strong demarche to Chinese authorities in both Beijing and New Delhi on the same day the incident occurred. India objected strongly to the treatment of its national and stated that “such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process” of improving bilateral relations.
Broader Context of India-China Ties
The episode comes at a time when New Delhi and Beijing had been cautiously rebuilding ties after the four-year-long military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Both sides had taken incremental steps over the past year to restore normalcy, though sensitive issues—particularly China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh—continue to strain relations.
The MEA’s firm statement and the new advisory highlight India’s insistence that any progress in bilateral ties must be accompanied by respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and fair treatment of its citizens abroad.