China's Renaming of Places in Arunachal Pradesh

Context:

China has once again attempted to assert territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh by releasing a fifth list of renamed locations, referring to the region as “Zangnan” or southern Tibet. It claims approximately 90,000 sq km of Indian-administered territory. India has firmly rejected these renaming attempts, calling them politically motivated and illegitimate.

Strategic Motives Behind China’s Renaming Tactics:

Renaming places is part of China’s broader strategy to legitimize its territorial claims both at home and on the global stage. This includes:

Diplomatic pressure: Objecting to Indian leaders' visits to Arunachal Pradesh.
Visa denial: Refusing visas to Indian athletes from Arunachal Pradesh.
Cartographic aggression: Publishing maps that show Arunachal as Chinese territory.
Global parallels: Similar tactics have been used in the South China Sea.

Chinese officials compare this to India renaming cities like Bombay to Mumbai, but that analogy is flawed—India renamed cities within its own uncontested territory, whereas China is targeting a disputed region.

India-China Border Dispute:

The 3,488 km-long border remains undemarcated in many areas. The Line of Actual Control (LAC), established after the 1962 war, serves as the working boundary, but lacks clarity in several stretches. India-China Border is divided into following divisions:

Western Sector: Ladakh
Middle Sector: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand
Eastern Sector: Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim

Key Areas of Dispute:

Aksai Chin (Western Sector): Controlled by China, claimed by India (Ladakh). It holds military and strategic significance due to its proximity to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Arunachal Pradesh (Eastern Sector): Administered by India as a northeastern state, fully claimed by China as “South Tibet.”

India’s Response:

1. Strengthening Regional Cooperation:

With Nepal: In 2024, India and Nepal signed a power pact for exporting 10,000 MW over 10 years and inaugurated three cross-border transmission lines: Raxaul-Parwanipur, Kushaha-Kataiya, and New Nautanwa-Mainahiya, strengthening regional energy ties.
With Bhutan: Supporting Gelephu mindfulness city, 2500 Km zero-carbon, co-operative project.

2. Necklace of Diamonds Strategy:

A strategic counter to China’s “String of Pearls.”
Focuses on building naval bases, boosting military presence, and enhancing regional diplomacy to limit China’s influence in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.

3. Infrastructure Development: BRO has completed a total of 111 infrastructure projects in 2024 at an overall cost of Rs 3,751 crore. This includes 36 projects worth Rs 1,508 crore, such as the state-of-the-art Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

4. Global Strategic Alliances

QUAD (India, USA, Japan, Australia): Promotes maritime security and trade.
I2U2 (India, Israel, USA, UAE): Enhances India’s position in West Asia.
IMEC: Counters China’s BRI; improves trade links through the Middle East.
INSTC (India, Iran, Russia): A 7,200 km trade route through Chabahar Port, offering a strategic alternative to CPEC.

Conclusion:

China’s renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh is a deliberate tactic to assert false claims over Indian Territory. India has strongly pushed back through a combination of diplomatic resistance, military readiness, infrastructure upgrades, regional cooperation, and global alliances—demonstrating a robust and comprehensive approach to defending its sovereignty and regional interests.