New Delhi: India on Tuesday firmly rejected China's objections to the official naming of 28 geographical features in Ladakh, with the Ministry of External Affairs reiterating that the Union Territory is an "integral and inalienable part" of the country.
Responding to comments from the Chinese side, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact." He added that the Ministry of Home Affairs' press release announcing the naming exercise was "self-explanatory".
What China objected to
On October 2, the Union home ministry announced that 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh had been formally identified by their standard names on the official Survey of India map. The exercise was carried out in consultation with the Ladakh administration and local stakeholders, with the stated aim of ensuring accurate identification of the locations and improving public awareness.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had never recognised the "so-called" Union Territory of Ladakh and called India's decision "illegal and invalid". She argued that assigning official names to the locations would not alter China's position on the western sector of the disputed boundary.
A familiar pattern
The disagreement is the latest in a series of naming-related face-offs between the two neighbours. India and China have repeatedly clashed over Beijing's attempts to assign Mandarin names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as "south Tibet" — a practice New Delhi has rejected just as firmly.
The fresh tension comes as both countries work to steady ties after the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control, which began in 2020 and lasted more than four years. India's response makes clear that the mapping of its own territory will continue regardless of Beijing's objections.
Sources:
- 'Ladakh Is Ours': India Rejects China's Objection To Naming 28 Geographical Features — Oneindia News
- MEA Rejects China's Claims, Reaffirms Ladakh as Integral Part of India — Yes Punjab News
Responding to comments from the Chinese side, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact." He added that the Ministry of Home Affairs' press release announcing the naming exercise was "self-explanatory".
What China objected to
On October 2, the Union home ministry announced that 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh had been formally identified by their standard names on the official Survey of India map. The exercise was carried out in consultation with the Ladakh administration and local stakeholders, with the stated aim of ensuring accurate identification of the locations and improving public awareness.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had never recognised the "so-called" Union Territory of Ladakh and called India's decision "illegal and invalid". She argued that assigning official names to the locations would not alter China's position on the western sector of the disputed boundary.
A familiar pattern
The disagreement is the latest in a series of naming-related face-offs between the two neighbours. India and China have repeatedly clashed over Beijing's attempts to assign Mandarin names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as "south Tibet" — a practice New Delhi has rejected just as firmly.
The fresh tension comes as both countries work to steady ties after the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control, which began in 2020 and lasted more than four years. India's response makes clear that the mapping of its own territory will continue regardless of Beijing's objections.
Sources:
- 'Ladakh Is Ours': India Rejects China's Objection To Naming 28 Geographical Features — Oneindia News
- MEA Rejects China's Claims, Reaffirms Ladakh as Integral Part of India — Yes Punjab News
