India and China exchange barbs after Modi visits contested border state

Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh irks China as it claims border region as part of South Tibet

India and China exchanged diplomatic barbs after prime minister Narendra Modi visited an eastern state in the centre of a historic border dispute.

Mr Modi, who is on a whirlwind tour of Indian states and territories ahead of high-stakes national elections, arrived in Arunachal Pradesh on 9 March to inaugurate a major infrastructure project.

The eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which shares its border with China, is governed by India. But China claims it as part of southern Tibet and calls it “Zangnan”.

The Indian foreign ministry on Tuesday rebuked China for objecting to Mr Modi’s visit to the region, saying Beijing’s opposition “does not stand to reason”.

"Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other states of India. Objecting to such visits or India‘s developmental projects does not stand to reason," said Randhir Jaiswal, India‘s foreign ministry spokesperson.

"Further, it will not change the reality that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India."

The remarks came after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: “The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory.”

“The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it. China stands firmly against the Indian leader’s visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary,” he said.

“The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. India’s relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries,” Mr Wenbin added.

Mr Modi travelled to the state last weekend to inaugurate the Sela Tunnel, a pass built at an altitude of 4000m at a cost of 8.25bn rupees (£77m). The project has been hailed for "all-weather" connectivity to the strategic Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh by the Indian defence ministry.

The ministry said it "will not only provide a faster and more efficient transport route in the region but is of strategic importance to the country".

The new road link is anticipated to facilitate the Indian army in enhancing defence measures along the contentious border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The LAC, a loosely demarcated, 3,500km border running between remote mountains, river and valleys is at the centre of territorial dispute between the two countries over which they fought a war in 1962.

Relations between the two countries have worsened since 2020 after a deadly hand-to-hand combat between the armies of the two countries triggered a fresh standoff and changed the status quo at some of the border points.

Since then, the two nuclear-powered militaries have fortified positions and amassed thousands of troops and equipment along the border.

In the run-up to elections, Mr Modi has launched a series of development projects across the countries as his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is seeking a third straight term in power.