New Delhi: India on Tuesday (August 11) rejected China’s description of its decision to formally identify 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh as “illegal, null and void”, reiterating that the state is an “inalienable and integral part of India” and that nothing could alter this position.In answer to a question at the bi-weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable and integral part of India. And this is a fact which is self-evident. At the same time, let me also underline that nothing can change this indisputable reality.”The response came a day after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing did not recognise the “so-called Arunachal Pradesh”, which China calls Zangnan, and accused India of attempting to replace names “long been used by China” with its own “standard names”. He said the Indian move was “illegal, null and void” and would not change what China considers the fact that the region belongs to China.The exchange followed an August 7 announcement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that the Union government, in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government, had identified 27 places and features in the state “by standard place and feature names” on official Survey of India maps. The MHA said the purpose was to facilitate their “accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large”.The list comprises 19 land areas, four passes, a lake and a monument. According to a recent The Times of India report, the 27 places include several pockets along the McMahon Line that have previously been classified as disputed or sensitive in defence assessments. It reported that Asaphila, Longju, Bisa and Maja in Upper Subansiri had been identified as disputed pockets, while Tulung La and Yangtse in Tawang were among other disputed areas. The report said Asaphila, Longju, Bisa and Maja were under what it described as illegal Chinese occupation, while also noting that the wider border remains contested.The report said Yangtse had witnessed a Chinese military transgression in 2016, followed by a withdrawal after a flag meeting, and that Chinese troops attempted another crossing in 2021, leading to a face-off.Longju, in Upper Subansiri district, was one of the early flashpoints between India and China, when Chinese troops entered the area in 1959. Thag La in Tawang was the site of one of the opening battles of the 1962 war. Jairampur in Changlang district is an important logistics hub for the eastern border region.The Indian move follows repeated announcements by Beijing to assign Chinese names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a practice that has been under way since 2017. In April, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs announced its sixth batch of 23 “standardised” place names for what it calls Zangnan. India rejected the exercise at the time as a “mischievous” attempt to assign “fictitious names” to places that form part of Indian territory.Jaiswal had said on April 12 that “introducing false claims and manufacturing baseless narratives” could not alter the fact that the places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, “were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India”. He had also warned that such Chinese actions “detract from ongoing efforts to stabilise and normalise India-China bilateral ties” and called on Beijing to refrain from actions that “inject negativity” into the relationship.The naming dispute is unfolding even as New Delhi and Beijing have sought to normalise ties following the four-year-long military stand-off along the LAC. The disengagement process at a number of friction points in 2024 created space for a broader effort to restore diplomatic and other contacts, but the boundary question remains unresolved.Jaiswal on Tuesday underlined that the border situation continues to be central to the wider relationship. Asked by a reporter about the “military situation” along the India-China border in Arunachal and whether “the standoff” had been taken up diplomatically, he said India had “always emphasised” to China that it regarded the border issues as “most serious” and that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas was of “the utmost importance”.He pointed to the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, held on August 6. The two sides, he said, had engaged in “frank discussion” and reviewed the situation along the LAC. India again underlined that peace and tranquillity in the border areas was essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.According to Jaiswal, the two sides agreed to continue using existing diplomatic and military channels, including the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid “misunderstanding and miscalculation” along the LAC.The latest diplomatic exchange over the 27 locations also comes amid recent reports from Arunachal Pradesh of alleged Chinese activity near Taksing in Upper Subansiri district.In late June, the Nah Welfare Society, a tribal organisation, alleged that the People’s Liberation Army had expanded its presence in areas traditionally used by local communities near Taksing. In a memorandum submitted to the Upper Subansiri deputy commissioner, it named Oying in the Asaphila area, Paniar in the Chujarta area, Marpan in Marnafe, Potrang Lake and Tindingtang, and alleged that the PLA had built roads, bridges and military camps there.The Indian Army rejected the allegations on June 30, saying reports claiming recent Chinese encroachment and the setting up of camps in Arunachal Pradesh were “incorrect and without any basis”.The Nah Welfare Society stood by its allegations. Its president, Keru Chader, told the Arunachal Times that areas traditionally used by local communities for hunting and where the Assam Rifles and local administration had previously patrolled were no longer accessible because of Chinese presence. He claimed Chinese forces had reached 15-20 km from Taksing headquarters.A senior government official quoted by the newspaper described the claim as “overstated”, saying large stretches along the international boundary are claimed by both sides and that both armies regularly conduct patrols there.The allegations also prompted calls for an official assessment. The Arunachal Adivasi Congress in July urged the Centre to set up a parliamentary panel to review the ground situation along the LAC, including infrastructure, civilian settlements and security arrangements.Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu subsequently rejected reports of Chinese military encroachment. On August 8, he said there were “no signs of encroachment in Arunachal Pradesh” and that the Indian Army was effectively patrolling and safeguarding the territory.