Arunachal is integral part of India: US lawmakers introduce rare resolution

The US makes clear that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the India and not the Peoples Republic of China.

In an move that comes as a shot in the arm for India, Two United States Senators have introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution reaffirming Americas recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

Oregons Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have teamed up to introduce the resolution amid the border tension between India and China.

"Americas values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world--especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision," ANI quoted Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, as saying.

"This resolution makes clear that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India--not the Peoples Republic of China--and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners and donors," Merkley said.

"At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, its critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region--especially India," said Senator Hagerty.

"This bipartisan resolution expresses the Senates support for unequivocally recognizing the state of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, condemning Chinas military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, and further enhancing the U.S.-India strategic partnership and the Quad in support of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific," he added.

The Senators resolution slams additional PRC provocations, such as the Peoples Republic of Chinas use of military force to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, construction of villages in contested areas, publication of maps with Mandarin-language names for cities and feature in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and expansion of PRC territorial claims in Bhutan, as per the statement.

It lauds the Indian government's steps to defend itself against Chinese aggression and security threat from the PRC.

These efforts include securing Indias telecommunications infrastructure; examining its procurement processes and supply chains; implementing investment screening standards; and expanding its cooperation with Taiwan in public health and other sectors. The resolution serves to further strengthen the US-India bilateral partnership regarding defense, technology, economics, and people-to-people ties and promotes enhancing our multilateral cooperation with India through the Quad, the East Asia Summit alongside our partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and other international fora.

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognizes the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and pushes back against PRC claims that Arunachal Pradesh is their territory, which is a part of the PRCs increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies.

India and China are locked in a border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 30 months. The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June, 2020.