“Me Changing Your House Name, Will Not Make It Mine…”: S Jaishankar Jibes At China’s Step

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s firm stance against China’s recent actions of issuing new names for Indian territories, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. This rebuke from Jaishankar comes in the wake of China releasing a fourth list containing 30 new names for various locations in Arunachal Pradesh.

India has consistently rejected China’s attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. Jaishankar emphasized this sentiment during his address at the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce, questioning the efficacy of changing names and highlighting the enduring sovereignty of Arunachal Pradesh within India. He emphasized that despite China’s actions, Arunachal Pradesh remains under Indian administration, with Indian armed forces deployed along the Line of Actual Control.

“If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine? Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect. Our army is deployed there (Line of Actual Control),” he was quoted as saying by ANI, in response to a question about China’s renaming of Indian territory.

China’s recent maneuvers to assert its claims over Arunachal Pradesh began with lodging a diplomatic protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region. In response to China’s assertions, Jaishankar labeled the claims as “ludicrous” and reaffirmed Arunachal Pradesh’s status as an integral part of India during a lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) of the National University of Singapore (NUS) on March 23.

“This is not a new issue. I mean, China has laid claim, it has expanded its claim. The claims are ludicrous to begin with and remain ludicrous today. So, I think we’ve been very clear, very consistent on this. And I think you know that is something which will be part of the boundary discussions which are taking place,” he said.

Moreover, tensions escalated further when the United States openly recognized Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory, prompting disapproval from Beijing. The US State Department issued a statement on March 9 affirming Arunachal Pradesh’s status as Indian territory and denouncing any unilateral attempts to alter territorial boundaries.

India’s unwavering stance against China’s territorial assertions underscores its commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As diplomatic tensions continue to simmer, the dispute over Arunachal Pradesh remains a focal point in the broader geopolitical landscape of the region.