New Delhi : Amid renewed geopolitical strain, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly reaffirmed India’s territorial integrity, calling on China to guarantee that Indian citizens—especially those from Arunachal Pradesh—are not selectively targeted while transiting through Chinese airports or territory.
The statement followed the mid-November detention of an Indian woman at Shanghai International Airport, where Chinese officials allegedly refused to recognize her passport solely because she was from Arunachal Pradesh, a region Beijing labels as “South Tibet.” India condemned the incident as a serious violation of international transit norms and an affront to the country’s sovereignty.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi demanded “equal, non-discriminatory treatment for all Indian passport holders,” stressing that such incidents have surfaced more than once in recent months.
A New Flashpoint in Already Strained Relations
The episode has amplified bilateral tensions at a time when the India–China relationship remains fragile due to:
Ladakh border standoffs,
Ongoing disputes over cartographic aggression,
And a massive trade imbalance, with China remaining India’s largest import source.
Despite diplomatic engagements—including the recent BRICS summit, which attempted to thaw relations—Beijing’s posture on Arunachal continues to inflame nationalist sentiments in both countries.
Indian officials see China’s refusal to acknowledge Indian passports from Arunachal as part of a broader pattern of sovereignty challenges, including altered maps, renaming of villages, and new territorial claims.
Detention Incident: What Happened?
The unnamed Arunachal-origin Indian woman was reportedly detained around November 25, with Chinese authorities questioning the validity of her Indian passport. She was released only after hours of diplomatic intervention.
The MEA now views the matter as an urgent issue of transit rights, emphasizing that nationality-based discrimination violates international civil aviation norms and established visa protocols.
Potential Fallout: Travel, Tourism, and Reciprocity
Policy analysts warn the confrontation could spill over into:
Tourism restrictions,
Business travel barriers,
And potential reciprocal measures from India.
Officials in New Delhi are reviewing whether China’s actions warrant formal protests at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) or adjustments to India’s visa and transit policies toward Chinese nationals.
Another Layer in the Arunachal Dispute
China asserts historic claims over Arunachal Pradesh, frequently publishing maps that incorporate the Indian state as “South Tibet.” India consistently dismisses the claims as “absurd and unacceptable.”
Experts say such passport refusals are designed to undermine India’s administrative legitimacy over the state—part of Beijing’s evolving strategy of assertive cartography, which includes renaming dozens of places in Arunachal and expanding infrastructure near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Nationalist Debates Ignite in India
The detention has triggered heated debates across academic, diplomatic, and political circles, highlighting the deep mistrust that continues to define the India–China relationship.
With China signaling no retreat on territorial claims and India doubling down on its sovereignty stance, analysts warn that even routine international travel could become an arena for geopolitical contestation.
