External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed China’s ongoing claims about Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, calling them “ludicrous” and insisting that the border state is a “natural part of India.” Days before India rejected China’s “absurd” assertions, Jaishankar commented.
“This problem is not brand-new. China, that is, has asserted and broadened its claim. After giving a lecture at the esteemed NUS Institute of South Asian Studies, Jaishankar, who is currently visiting Singapore for three days, responded to a question regarding the Arunachal issue by saying, “The claims are ludicrous to begin with and remain ludicrous today.”
Thus, I believe we have been highly explicit and consistent about this. And I think you are aware that will be covered in the ongoing talks on boundaries,” he continued.
Arunachal Pradesh is referred to as “Zangnan” by China, which also claims it as South Tibet. The nation also took issue with Indian leaders visiting the state to accentuate its claims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where he dedicated the Sela Tunnel to the nation, has drawn criticism from China.
The local media cited Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, stating, “We require the Indian side to cease any action that may complicate the boundary question and earnestly maintain peace and stability in the border areas.”
Reacting forcefully to the Chinese side’s repeated claims earlier this week, India stated that “repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity.”
“We have taken note of the remarks made by the Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson asserting ludicrous claims over the area of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. Reiterating erroneous arguments in this context does not give credibility to such assertions. Objecting to these trips or India’s development initiatives makes no sense. It also won’t alter that the State of Arunachal Pradesh has always been an essential and inalienable component of India. According to a statement released by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the Chinese side has been informed of this consistent stance on multiple occasions.
