MEA advises Indian nationals to exercise caution when travelling to or transiting through China after the 18-hour detention of Arunachal-born Pema Wangjom Thongdok at Shanghai airport on Nov 21
Incident involved Chinese officials invalidating her passport over Arunachal claims; India protested, calling it a breach of international travel rules and reasserting Arunachal's integral status
New Delhi demands Beijing's assurance against future harassment of Indians, aiming to preserve improving bilateral ties despite the row
Travel Cautiously To China, India Warns Citizens
MEA's wake-up call to Indians: Tread carefully in China after Arunachal woman's airport nightmare – passports valid, but tensions run high
Summary
In a pointed advisory amid escalating border tensions, India's Ministry of External Affairs on Monday urged its citizens to exercise "due discretion" when travelling to or transiting through China, following the alleged harassment of an Arunachal Pradesh woman at Shanghai airport last month. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal issued the warning during his weekly briefing, stressing that Indian passports are valid travel documents and rejecting any Chinese claims over Arunachal as "indisputable reality."
The advisory stems from the ordeal of Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen born in Arunachal Pradesh, who was detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on November 21. Travelling from London to Japan, Thongdok was singled out by immigration officials who declared her passport invalid, mocked her nationality, and asserted that Arunachal "belongs to China." Denied proper food and facilities during her confinement in the transit area, she was eventually allowed to board her connecting flight after diplomatic intervention. India has lodged a strong protest with Beijing, calling the incident a violation of international air travel norms and China's own visa-free transit policy.
Jaiswal reiterated India's firm stance: "Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and no amount of denial can change this." He demanded assurances from Chinese authorities that Indian travellers will not face selective targeting, arbitrary detention, or harassment at airports. The MEA hopes this will not derail the "gradually positive" trajectory in India-China relations but views such actions as undermining diplomatic engagement.
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