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A file image of Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (Photo: X)

NEW DELHI, April 13: On Sunday, India expressed strong disapproval of China's attempts to assign fictitious names to locations within Indian territory, emphasizing that such actions could jeopardize the ongoing efforts to stabilize and normalize bilateral relations.

Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated, “India firmly rejects any deceptive efforts by China to label places that are part of India’s territory.”

His remarks came in response to inquiries regarding China's recent renaming of areas in India, including Arunachal Pradesh.

“These attempts by China to fabricate claims and create unfounded narratives cannot change the undeniable fact that these regions, including Arunachal Pradesh, have always been, and will continue to be, an essential and inseparable part of India,” he asserted.

Jaiswal further noted that such actions by China undermine the ongoing efforts to stabilize and normalize relations between India and China.

“China must avoid actions that introduce negativity into our relationship and hinder the progress towards better understanding,” the MEA spokesperson added.

Recently, China released a new list renaming certain locations within Indian territory. The Chinese Civil Affairs Ministry first published a standardized list of six names in Zangnan in 2017, followed by a second list of 15 names in 2021, and another list with 11 names in 2023. Zangnan is the Chinese designation for Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of southern Tibet.

India has consistently rejected China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, especially in light of recent incidents related to visas and travel for individuals from the northeastern state.