India responds to China’s renaming of Arunachal Pradesh locations with its own renaming effort in Tibet

India has initiated a significant effort to rename approximately 30 locations within China’s Tibet Autonomous Region in response to China’s recent renaming of locations in India’s Arunachal Pradesh, on Wednesday.

According to reports from IDRW, the Indian Army’s warfare division is spearheading this effort. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the newly-elected NDA government has approved the renaming of these locations in Tibet, signaling a firm response to China’s naming initiatives.

The chosen names, rooted in historical significance and ties to the Tibetan region, will be officially published by the Indian Army and incorporated into updated maps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Maj Gen (Dr) Ashok Kumar, VSM (Retd), Kargil War Veteran, Defence and Media Analyst, highlighted that China’s actions are part of a broader pattern of untrustworthy behavior and territorial aggression. He emphasised the importance of India taking assertive actions to counter China’s moves.

The list of names includes various geographic features represented in Chinese characters, Tibetan, and pinyin, ranging from residential areas to mountains, rivers, a lake, and a mountain pass. China had previously released standardised names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, introducing nearly as many new names as the previous three combined.

India’s assertive move comes amidst strained relations with China, particularly since the onset of the border standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. The two countries have engaged in 21 rounds of military talks to address the standoff. Under PM Modi’s third term, India aims to assert its territorial claims by assigning its own names to locations in occupied Tibet.

Despite China’s persisting claims, India has consistently emphasised Arunachal Pradesh’s integral status within the country. The Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated this stance. India’s decisive response emerges amidst growing global apprehension over China’s expansionist policies, notably in regions like the South China Sea. India’s Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, reaffirmed the country’s resolute position on issues involving China and Pakistan. Addressing concerns, he underscored India’s intent to address border issues with China and long-standing cross-border terrorism concerns with Pakistan.