China Objects As India Names 27 Locations In Arunachal Pradesh

China has criticised India’s decision to formally name 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “Zangnan” and claims the region as part of China.

Citing Chinese experts, the Global Times described India’s move as unilateral and said it could complicate efforts to manage the border dispute and affect the recent momentum in bilateral ties.

India, meanwhile, has formally updated the Survey of India map of Arunachal Pradesh with standardised names for 27 locations and geographical features, including mountain passes, settlements, a high-altitude lake and a war memorial.

China Objects To India's Naming Move

Chinese experts described India’s move as unilateral. Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at Tsinghua University's National Strategy Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday, “Any unilateral action by India that escalates the border situation shows no point and will not serve the broader interests of bilateral relations.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine press briefing on April 14 that Zangnan region is China's territory. Guo Xuetang, a professor at the center for South Asia and Indian Ocean Studies under Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that India’s move “does not alter the legal status of the area”.

India-China Border Dispute

The exercise was carried out by the Centre in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government. Several of the newly standardised locations carry strategic or historical significance, particularly because of their proximity to the India-China frontier and their association with past border confrontations, including the 1962 war.

According to a government press release issued on Friday, the Centre and the Arunachal Pradesh government “identified a total of twenty-seven (27) places/features located in Arunachal Pradesh, by standard place and feature names on the official maps of the Survey of India (SoI).”

The Ministry of Home Affairs said, “Identifying them formally on the Survey of India map of Arunachal Pradesh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large.”

India-China Ties Show Signs Of Improvement

This development comes after the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs (WMCC) in New Delhi on August 7. Both sides agreed to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels and work together to safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas during the meeting.

The two sides exchanged views on issues including boundary delineation, border management and control, mechanism building, and cross-border cooperation.