"Arunachal Inalienable Part Of India": Foreign Ministry Slams China's Remark

India on Tuesday issued one of its strongest recent statements against China after an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harassed, detained for over 18 hours, and denied normal transit procedures at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport.

The incident, which was already raising diplomatic concerns, was further inflamed by a controversial statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which once again challenged India's sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi sharply rejected Beijing's claims. It condemned the treatment of the Indian citizen, calling the episode a clear violation of international norms as well as China's own immigration regulations.

"Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India"

Responding to media queries, the Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed New Delhi's unequivocal stance on Arunachal Pradesh.

"Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality," he said.

The spokesperson confirmed that the Ministry had lodged a strong protest with China both in Beijing and New Delhi, pointing out that the Chinese authorities had failed to justify the arbitrary treatment of the passenger, who was legally transiting through the country on a valid Indian passport.

Violation of International Aviation Rules

The Ministry said China's actions were not only indefensible but also directly contravened internationally accepted protocols.

"Chinese authorities have still not been able to explain their actions, which are in violation of several conventions governing international air travel," the spokesperson said, referring specifically to the Chicago and Montreal Conventions that govern civil aviation standards.

He further highlighted that China had violated its own rules, noting that Chinese immigration normally permits visa-free transit of up to 24 hours for citizens of all countries.

In this case, however, officials inexplicably targeted the passenger's birthplace, Arunachal Pradesh, claiming it belonged to China, and declared her Indian passport "invalid."

The Ordeal: 18 Hours of Detention Over a Birthplace

The passenger, Prema Wang Thongdok, who hails from Rupa in West Kameng district and currently lives in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a scheduled three-hour layover in Shanghai. Her routine transit turned into a harrowing ordeal.

Thongdok later took to X to detail what happened: "I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs on 21st Nov, 2025... They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory."

Despite carrying all valid travel documents, she was allegedly denied free passage, given conflicting instructions, and only released after prolonged questioning during which she said her documents were repeatedly challenged and invalidated on political grounds.

China Denies Harassment, Repeats Territorial Claim

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied any wrongdoing, insisting the passenger "was not subjected to any compulsory measures, detainment or harassment." Mao said airport officials acted "according to laws and regulations," and claimed the airline had provided the passenger "food, water, and a place to rest."

However, Mao's comments escalated tensions when she reiterated Beijing's territorial claim: "Zangnan is China's territory. China never acknowledged the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India."

This remark drew immediate criticism from India, which said Beijing was once again attempting to distort established facts and politicise a routine travel process.

New Delhi's Strong Diplomatic Pushback

Government sources told NDTV that India issued a strong demarche in both capitals on the very day of the incident. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai also intervened and assisted the stranded passenger.

Officials stressed that the detention was based on "ludicrous grounds" and undermined efforts by both nations to stabilise bilateral ties.

"At a time when both sides are working on restoring normalcy, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process," sources noted.

A Diplomatic Flashpoint with Wider Implications

The episode has reignited concerns about China's growing efforts to enforce political claims through administrative or immigration channels. Analysts warn that Beijing's decision to target travellers based on their Indian birthplace raises worrying precedents and risks escalating already strained relations.

For now, New Delhi has made its position unmistakably clear: harassment of Indian citizens, especially under the guise of territorial claims, will not be tolerated, and Arunachal Pradesh's status is not open for debate.