In response to China's recent renaming of locations in India's Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian government has launched a corresponding effort to rename approximately 30 places within China's Tibet Autonomous Region, as reported by The Diplomat.
The newly-elected NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light to the renaming of these locations in Tibet, signalling a firm rebuttal to China's naming initiatives. The chosen names have been thoroughly researched and are rooted in historical significance and ties to the Tibetan region. They will be officially published by the Indian Army and incorporated into updated maps along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The list of names comprises various geographic features, including residential areas, mountains, rivers, a lake, and a mountain pass, with representations in Chinese characters, Tibetan, and pinyin. China had previously released multiple sets of standardized names for places in Arunachal Pradesh, with the latest list introducing nearly as many new names as the previous three combined.
Quoting former Intelligence Bureau officer Benu Ghosh, The Diplomat reported, "PM Modi sought to win these polls on the strength of his strongman image. It is natural he will authorize the renaming of Tibetan places to live up to that image." Ghosh, a long-time observer of China's border issues with India, also noted, "As and when the renaming campaign happens, it will be tantamount to India reopening the Tibetan question."
India's assertive move comes against the backdrop of strained relations with China, particularly since the onset of the border standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. The two countries have engaged in 21 rounds of military talks to address the standoff. Under PM Modi's third term, India aims to assert its territorial claims by assigning its own names to locations in occupied Tibet.
Despite China's persisting claims, India has consistently emphasized Arunachal Pradesh's integral status within the country, maintaining that assigning "invented" names does not alter this fact. The Ministry of External Affairs has reiterated this stance. Consequently, India's decisive response emerges as global apprehension over China's expansionist policies in regions such as the South China Sea continues to grow.
India's Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, reaffirmed the country's resolute position on issues involving China and Pakistan. Addressing these concerns, he underscored India's intent to address border issues with China and long-standing cross-border terrorism concerns with Pakistan.