India has officially and strongly rejected China’s latest attempt to rename 23 locations within the state of Arunachal Pradesh. In a sharp statement released on Sunday, April 12, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) labeled the move a “mischievous attempt” to assign fictitious names to Indian territories.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that “assigning invented names” does not change the ground reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always be, an integral and inalienable part of India. This latest friction began on April 10, when China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a list of standardized names for geographical features—including mountains, rivers, and residential areas—in what it calls “Zangnan” or Southern Tibet.
This marks the sixth such renaming exercise by Beijing since 2017. Indian officials pointed out that these actions only serve to “inject negativity” into bilateral relations and undermine the ongoing, delicate efforts to normalize ties after the years-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Adding to the tension, reports have emerged that China has established a new administrative county named Cenling in the Xinjiang region, close to the borders of Ladakh and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India has previously protested the creation of similar counties like He’an and Hekang in 2025, arguing they infringe upon Indian sovereign territory.
As both nations continue to navigate complex border negotiations, New Delhi has made it clear that “baseless narratives” and administrative cartography by Beijing will not be accepted as legitimate claims.
