Chennai: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday issued a strong message to China, asserting that Arunachal Pradesh “is and will always remain” an integral part of India, following an incident in which a woman from the state was allegedly harassed by Chinese immigration authorities.
Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Jaishankar said India had formally taken up the matter after Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was detained while transiting through Shanghai airport on November 21, 2025.
According to the minister, Chinese immigration officials questioned the validity of Thongdok’s Indian passport on the grounds that it mentioned Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth, reportedly refusing to acknowledge the state as part of India.
“By resorting to such actions, nothing changes on the ground. Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be a part of India, and these tactics are not going to alter that reality,” Jaishankar said.
He described the incident as a violation of established international norms governing the transit of passengers and underlined that India’s position on the issue is firm and unambiguous.
The minister added that the government remains committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of Indian citizens abroad.
Thongdok later recounted that she was subjected to an 18-hour ordeal at the Shanghai airport, during which she was initially denied onward travel and left in distress. She was able to leave China only after a friend in the UK contacted the Indian Consulate, which intervened to assist her.
The External Affairs Ministry has conveyed India’s protest over the incident, Jaishankar said, reiterating that New Delhi will continue to respond strongly to any actions that challenge India’s sovereignty or the rights of its citizens.