HT Digital,
Namsai, April 9: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday condemned China’s renaming of several locations in Arunachal Pradesh. He questioned if India’s similar actions would lead to those areas being considered as ‘parts of our territory’ in the neighboring country.
Singh, speaking at an election rally in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh, stressed that China’s renaming of 30 places in the state would not change the ground reality. He reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
He asked China if renaming their states would make them Indian territories, warning such actions could harm India-China relations. Singh, highlighting India’s intention to maintain good relations with its neighbors, asserted India’s capability to respond fittingly if its self-respect is threatened.
Earlier this month, India rejected China’s renaming of certain places in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it ‘senseless.’ India reiterated that the state has always been and will remain an integral part of the country. Recently, Beijing announced Chinese names for an additional 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh, a region China claims as the southern part of Tibet.
