India Rebukes China’s Criticism Over PM Modi’s Arunachal Pradesh Visit

India has staunchly rebuffed China’s objections and protests regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the state of Arunachal Pradesh, located along the Tibet-border, and his inauguration of a strategic tunnel therein. China contends that the state belongs to its territory, referring to it as “Zangnan” (Southern Tibet) due to its unlawful annexation of Tibet in the 1950s.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit on March 9 was primarily to inaugurate key infrastructure projects, including a tunnel aimed at providing all-weather connectivity to the strategically significant border area of Tawang, which holds historical and cultural significance, notably as the birthplace of Tibet’s 6th Dalai Lama, and is of particular interest to China.

The newly inaugurated tunnel is anticipated to facilitate faster and smoother troop movements in the frontier region. On the same day, Modi also launched various projects for the Northeast region ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, among them the Sela Tunnel project, touted as the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at such a high altitude of 13,000 feet, connecting Tezpur in Assam to Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a firm response to China’s objections, stating, “Objecting to such visits or India’s developmental projects does not stand to reason.” The ministry emphasized that Indian leaders routinely visit Arunachal Pradesh, just like any other state within the country.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh has always been an integral part of India, rejecting any attempts to alter this reality. Jaiswal highlighted that China has been informed of India’s consistent stance on this matter on multiple occasions.

These statements from India came in the wake of China’s firm opposition to Modi’s activities in the region, with the Chinese foreign ministry lodging a diplomatic protest against India. Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, reiterated China’s claim over the region, emphasizing that it does not recognize Arunachal Pradesh and vehemently opposes India’s actions there.

Wenbin warned that Modi’s visit and related activities would only serve to complicate the ongoing border issue between the two countries, potentially exacerbating tensions in the border area. The unresolved border dispute and historical tensions have contributed to a fortified military presence and heightened vigilance along the 3,440km frontier shared by the two nations.

The souring of bilateral relations between India and China traces back to a violent clash in Ladakh in mid-2020, resulting in casualties on both sides. Since then, both countries have bolstered their military positions along the border, underscoring the longstanding unease between them stemming from a bitter border war in 1962.

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