US says it recognises Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India

The United States has said that it has recognised Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

The statement from the White House comes in the wake of China renaming 11 villages in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as South Tibet. India had categorically rejected this move by China.

China had on Tuesday announced Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh. The official names were released on Sunday China's Ministry of Civil Affairs. The changed names included those of rivers, residential areas and mountain peaks.

This was in fact the third time that China unilaterally renamed the places in Arunachal Pradesh. In the past, it had done so in April 2017 and December 2021.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, " the United States has recognised that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities."

She told reporters, "and so again , this is something that we have long stood by."

India had strongly reacted to China's claims and rejected the renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly asserted that the state is an integral part of India and assigning invented names does not alter this reality.

MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said, " we have seen reports. This is not the first time that China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright."

"Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality," Bagchi also said.

These developments come at a time when both India and China are locked in a tense stand-off since the past three years along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

There have been extensive dialogues both on the diplomatic and military front, which has led to disengagement at several friction points. However there are some areas of concern that remain.

India has maintained that ties with China cannot be normal as long as tensions exit along the border areas.