Although India and China have managed to ease the prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, strategic tensions between the two Asian neighbours may be resurfacing in a different form. A recent assessment by the United States Pentagon has indicated that China now considers its claims over Arunachal Pradesh to be part of its “core interests,” placing the Indian state in the same category as Taiwan. This suggests that even as immediate border tensions subside, Arunachal Pradesh could emerge as a significant point of friction in future India–China relations.
The Pentagon report, submitted to the US Congress, states that China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, Taiwan, and various maritime and land disputes in the South China Sea are closely linked to Beijing’s long-term national ambition of achieving what it calls the “great rejuvenation” by 2049. According to the report, this objective involves elevating China’s global influence and building a “world-class military” capable of conducting and winning major combat operations, underscoring why these disputed regions hold such strategic importance for Beijing.
India has consistently and unequivocally rejected China’s position on Arunachal Pradesh. New Delhi has repeatedly asserted that the state “was, is, and will always be” an integral and inseparable part of India, making it clear that there is no scope for negotiation or ambiguity regarding its sovereignty over the region.
Last year, India and China reached an understanding aimed at disengaging troops along parts of the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, leading to a period of relative calm. However, after several months without major incidents, tensions have begun to surface again, particularly around Arunachal Pradesh, indicating that the broader boundary dispute remains unresolved despite tactical de-escalation elsewhere.
One recent episode that highlighted the sensitivity of the issue involved an Indian citizen, Prema Thongdok, who was travelling from London to Japan and was detained for nearly 18 hours during a transit halt in Shanghai. Thongdok said Chinese officials declared her passport invalid because it listed her birthplace as Arunachal Pradesh. During the detention, she was reportedly denied access to food and other basic facilities, illustrating how China’s territorial claims can directly affect ordinary travellers.
Thongdok was eventually allowed to continue her journey after she managed to contact the Indian consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the United Kingdom. The incident drew attention to the practical implications of China’s stance on Arunachal Pradesh and the way it is enforced even in civilian and non-political situations.
In another incident, a YouTuber was detained in China after mentioning Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India in a video posted in support of Thongdok. This further reinforced concerns about how firmly and broadly China seeks to assert its territorial narrative, even in online content and individual expressions.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, referring to it as southern Tibet or Zangnan. This claim is rooted in Beijing’s rejection of the McMahon Line, the boundary drawn by the British in 1914 and accepted by Britain and the then-independent Tibet, but never recognised by China. As a result, the border issue has remained a persistent source of disagreement between the two countries.
Within Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang holds particular strategic and religious significance for China. Initially, Beijing’s claim focused largely on Tawang, but over time it expanded to include the entire state. In recent years, China has repeatedly issued lists of new Chinese names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh, a move widely seen as an attempt to reinforce its claims and exert symbolic and diplomatic pressure on India.
Former diplomats have noted that the Pentagon’s explicit reference to Arunachal Pradesh is significant. Mahesh Sachdev, a former Indian diplomat, observed that while the United States had previously provided detailed assessments of developments in Ladakh, it had remained relatively quiet on Arunachal Pradesh. He said Washington’s decision to highlight the issue now suggests a deeper awareness of the coercive tactics China employs against India in the region.
The Pentagon report also carried another warning for India, pointing to China’s broader regional strategy. It suggested that easing tensions along the Line of Actual Control is part of a dual approach by Beijing, combining tactical calm on the India–China border with sustained strategic and military pressure through its close partnership with Pakistan.
This approach was visible during Operation Sindoor, when Pakistan relied heavily on Chinese-made weapons and defence systems. While the effectiveness of those systems is a separate issue, the episode highlighted the depth of China–Pakistan military cooperation and its potential implications for India’s security environment.
According to the report, by maintaining relative calm along the LAC, China seeks to stabilise its relationship with India while simultaneously attempting to prevent New Delhi from moving closer to Washington. This strategy of balancing de-escalation with indirect pressure underscores the complex and evolving challenges India may face in managing its relations with China in the years ahead.
