India has once again firmly rejected China's "futile and absurd attempts" to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs stated, "We have observed that China is engaged in its futile and absurd attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. In line with our principled stance, we categorically reject such efforts. Creative renaming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh has been, is, and will always be an integral and inseparable part of India."

China's Latest Naming Attempts Rejected by India

India has strongly dismissed China's recent efforts to change the names of several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating that the state remains an integral part of the country. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a stern statement on Tuesday, emphasizing, "We have noted that China is engaged in its futile and absurd attempts to rename places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh." The MEA added, "In accordance with our principled stance, we categorically reject such attempts. Creative renaming will not change the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh has been, is, and will always be an integral and inseparable part of India."

China's Absurd Claims Amid Tensions with Pakistan

This response from the Ministry of External Affairs follows China's repeated attempts to assert its claims over Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier, in April 2024, China released a fourth list of 30 new names for various locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. This is not the first instance of China attempting to rename places within Indian territory. China has issued a list of so-called 'standardized' geographical names in Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Zangnan, according to the state-run Global Times. The 30 locations renamed by Beijing include 12 mountains, four rivers, one lake, one mountain pass, 11 residential areas, and one piece of land. In addition to the list of names, the Chinese ministry also shared a high-resolution map detailing the latitude and longitude of these areas.