‘Mischievous attempts’: India slams China over assigning ‘fictitious’ names to places in Arunachal Pradesh

India on Sunday firmly dismissed China’s “mischievous attempts” to rename certain locations in Arunachal Pradesh, stating that such actions and attempts to create unfounded narratives do not change the “undeniable reality” that these areas are integral parts of Indian territory.

It also urged China to avoid steps that could add strain to bilateral ties and hinder efforts aimed at improving mutual understanding.

New Delhi issued the response after reports of Beijing announcing Chinese names for several places in Arunachal Pradesh.

“India categorically rejects any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India. Such attempts by China at introducing false claims and manufacturing baseless narratives cannot alter the undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

He added, "These actions by the Chinese side detract from ongoing efforts to stabilise and normalise India-China bilateral ties. China should refrain from actions which inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to create better understanding.

The newly formed county, named “Cenling,” was approved by the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region government on March 26 and will be administered under the Kashgar Prefecture, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Situated near the Karakoram Range, the move holds strategic significance due to its closeness to both Afghanistan and PoK.

This is the third instance in just over a year of China establishing a new county in Xinjiang. New Delhi has earlier lodged formal protests with Beijing over the creation of “Hean” and “Hekang” counties, asserting that parts of the territory claimed by China fall within India’s Union Territory of Ladakh, according to ANI.

“Hean county” reportedly includes a substantial portion of the Aksai Chin plateau. Although this area has been under Chinese control since the Sino-Indian War, India continues to regard it as an integral part of Ladakh, making it a key point of contention between the two nations.

The administrative centre for the region, Kashgar, is a historic hub along the Silk Road and serves as an important gateway linking China with South and Central Asia. It is also the starting point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a major infrastructure initiative that passes through PoK, a route India has consistently opposed, citing concerns over sovereignty.

While the exact administrative boundaries of “Cenling” have not been made public, its location near strategically sensitive areas highlights growing concerns over China’s continued reorganisation of administrative units along contested border regions.