In a significant development, the US has declared its recognition of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and has expressed strong objection to any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims across the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This statement comes in the midst of Beijing’s refusal to acknowledge the region as Indian territory, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, stated, “US recognises Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments military or civilian, across LAC.” This stance aligns the US firmly with India in the ongoing territorial dispute with China.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin criticized PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, stating that China “strongly deplored” the visit and warned that it would only complicate the boundary issue further. India, in response, reiterated its consistent position on Arunachal Pradesh and rejected China’s objections to PM Modi’s visit to the state.
India condemned Beijing for making “absurd claims” over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and emphasized that the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of India. The Ministry of External Affairs stated, “We have noted the comments made by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh.”
The US’s declaration of support for India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh will likely strengthen India’s position in the face of ongoing Chinese territorial assertions. The statement underscores the growing international scrutiny on China’s expansionist policies and territorial claims in the region.
