India Fires New Shots Against China’s Renaming Antics; Announces New Names For 30 Locations In Tibet

India has renamed 30 locations in Tibet in a retaliatory move against China renaming several locations in Arunachal Pradesh.

This comes after China, two months ago in April, announced new names for 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which drew sharp reactions from the government.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had then rejected these antics and said that just by renaming some locations, the region does not become Chinese.

He asked, “If today I change the name of your house, will it become mine?” further saying that “Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be a state of India. Changing names does not have an effect.”

Earlier in 2017 too, China had released new names for some locations in Arunachal Pradesh.

India and China are undergoing a tense phase of relationship since Indian and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops clashed at Galwan Valley in June 2020. The brutal clashes resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian Army soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese PLA personnel.

Since then Indian and Chinese forces have been at a standoff at several locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, including in the Demchok and Depsang plains in south and north Ladakh respectively.

The four-year-long standoff is now moving into its fifth year, and there is still no sign of China reinstating the status quo.