India Counters China, Names 27 Arunachal Locations Along LAC

India has officially assigned standard names to 27 geographical features and locations in Arunachal Pradesh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in a move seen as a direct response to China’s repeated attempts to rename places within the state.

The decision, announced on Friday, August 7, 2026, reinforces India’s stated position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country. The Union Home Ministry said the names have been finalised on official Survey of India (SoI) maps in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government, as per Hindustan Times.

“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,” the Home Ministry noted.

27 Locations Added

The newly recognised geographical features include 21 land areas, four mountain passes, one lake and a monument.

The land locations include Longju, Maja, Bisa, Bara Kundun, Chhota Kundun, Dhan Bari, Pritnagar, Buddhamandir, Jairampur, Teritnagar, Ramnagar, Jaswant Garh, Sagar, Padma, Jyotinagar, Baisakhi, Chhota Ropuk, Bara Ropuk, Shivaji Nagar, Sunpura and Kamlang Nagar.

The official list also includes the Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Thag La mountain passes, along with Sambho Sarovar lake and the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial.

Among these, Longju holds strategic importance as it lies within India’s claimed territory but has remained under Chinese control since 1959, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Officials said the move aims to remove ambiguity from official records and counter China’s practice of assigning what India calls “fictitious names” to locations in Arunachal Pradesh.

“Putting these 27 locations on the Survey of India map provides clarity, strengthens India’s claim status and improves official documentation of geographical features,” an official said.

The mapping exercise is also expected to support administrative activities, including revenue records, census operations, infrastructure planning and border road development.

India Rejects China’s Renaming Exercise

China has repeatedly referred to Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet” and has carried out several attempts to rename places in the state. India has consistently rejected these moves, stating that changing names cannot alter the legal status of Indian territory.

In April 2026, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a notification renaming 23 locations, including rivers, mountains and towns in Arunachal Pradesh. India strongly objected to the move, calling it an attempt to create a false narrative.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such actions could not change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”

India has opposed similar Chinese renaming exercises carried out in 2017, 2021, 2023 and 2024, especially during periods of heightened tensions between the two countries.

Border Dispute Continues

India-China relations witnessed a major downturn following the military standoff along the LAC that began in 2020 and continued for more than four years.

The two countries are currently engaged in efforts to restore normal diplomatic ties and have held multiple rounds of discussions to address their long-standing border dispute.

However, India has maintained that administrative and diplomatic measures, including officially mapping locations, are essential to protect its territorial claims and counter attempts to alter the status quo.