Arunachal Pradesh, India

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China on Thursday (September 26) released a statement expressing its disapproval regarding an Indian mountaineering team’s decision to name a previously unnamed peak in Arunachal Pradesh after the 6th Dalai Lama.

China's response to the naming

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a media briefing in Beijing said, “It’s illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ in Chinese territory.”

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This statement comes after an expedition by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS), which is part of the Ministry of Defence. A team led by Colonel Ranveer Singh Jamwal successfully climbed an unnamed peak measuring 20,942 feet in Arunachal Pradesh and chose to honour the sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, by naming the summit after him. The Dalai Lama was born in 1682 in the Mon Tawang area.

A tribute to the Dalai Lama’s legacy

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According to a press release from the Defence Ministry, naming the peak after the Sixth Dalai Lama was intended to pay homage to his enduring wisdom and significant contributions to the Monpa community and beyond.

Arunachal Pradesh chief minister congratulates the team

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu congratulated the NIMAS team on their achievement. He wrote on X, “Led by Director Ranveer Jamwal, they’ve successfully summited an untamed peak in the Gorichen Massif of Mon Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh, reaching an impressive 6,383 meters!”

China's consistent territorial claims on Arunachal Pradesh

In response to the naming, Lin Jian mentioned that he was unaware of the specific details regarding the name. “Let me say more broadly that the area of Zangnan is Chinese territory… This has been China’s consistent position,” he added.

China considers Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet. Since 2017, Beijing has been renaming locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Zangnan, to reinforce its territorial claims, saying that the area is an “inherent part of China’s territory.”

India, however, has continually rejected China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh, maintaining that the state is an "integral" and "inalienable" part of the country.

(With inputs from agencies)