New Delhi: India officially rejected China’s latest attempt to rename several locations in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, April 12, 2026. In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) characterized Beijing’s actions as “mischievous” and “baseless,” asserting that assigning fictitious names cannot change the territorial reality of the region. New Delhi reiterated its long-standing position that Arunachal Pradesh remains an “integral and inalienable” part of India, regardless of unilateral administrative moves by the Chinese government.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that manufacturing false narratives only serves to undermine the ongoing efforts to stabilize bilateral relations between the two neighbors. He emphasized that such actions by the Chinese side inject unnecessary negativity into the diplomatic space and hinder the normalization of ties. The reaction follows Beijing’s announcement of a fresh list of Chinese names for various geographical features and residential areas within the Indian state, a tactic China has employed periodically to assert its territorial claims.
This latest diplomatic friction coincides with reports of China establishing new administrative counties in the Xinjiang region near the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Indian officials have urged China to refrain from activities that complicate the border situation and instead focus on creating a better mutual understanding. The MEA concluded that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will always remain” Indian territory, dismissing China’s renaming exercise as a futile attempt to alter historical and legal facts.
