China has continued to announce what it calls “standardised names” for different locations in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territorial claimsBeijing refers to the state as “south Tibet”.
Published: August 8, 2026, 7:03 AM IST
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India officially maps 27 key locations in Arunachal Pradesh amid China’s repeated renaming attempts
The Centre has officially added 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh to the Survey of India’s maps, in a move that comes amid repeated attempts by China to give new names to places in the stateThe Home Ministry said the locations were marked in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh governmentThe move is aimed at ensuring that these places can be clearly identified on official maps and increasing public awareness about them.
China has periodically released lists of what it calls “standardised” names for places in Arunachal PradeshBeijing refers to the state as “Zangnan”.
India has consistently rejected China’s claims and renaming exercises, saying they have no impact on the country’s sovereignty over Arunachal PradeshNew Delhi has also called the renaming attempts “vain and preposterous”.
Which Arunachal Pradesh locations were added?
Among the locations now marked on the official map is Longju, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC)The area holds historical importance as Chinese troops entered Longju in 1959, making it one of the early flashpoints in the India-China border dispute.
Maja village in Upper Subansiri district has also been included.
The list features several strategically important mountain passes, including Dzo La, Riza La and Pukur LaThag La, which witnessed one of the early battles of the 1962 India-China war, has also been formally marked.
Jairampur in Changlang district is another key locationIt serves as an important logistics point for the movement of security forces towards eastern Arunachal Pradesh and the Myanmar border.
Other locations added to the official map include Sambho Sarovar, Bara Kundun, Chhota Kundun, Dhan Bari, Pritnagar, Teritnagar, Ramnagar and Jaswant Garh.
Jaswant Garh is home to a memorial dedicated to Jaswant Singh Rawat, an Indian Army soldier remembered for his role during the 1962 warThe memorial is located on the road to Tawang.
Villages such as Sagar, Padma, Jyotinagar and Baisakhi have also been marked.
The list also includes the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial, dedicated to 1962 war hero Trilok Singh Thapa, along with Chhota Ropuk, Bara Ropuk, Shivaji Nagar, Sunpura, Kamlang Nagar and Buddhamandir.
China’s renaming attempts in Arunachal Pradesh
China’s efforts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh have been going on for several yearsIn 2017, Beijing released its first list naming six places in the stateIt followed this with a second list of 15 places in 2021 and another list of 11 names in 2023.
India has repeatedly rejected these moves, maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inseparable part of the countryNew Delhi has also made it clear that any changes made by China to maps or place names cannot alter India’s legal position or its territorial claims.
China has continued to announce what it calls “standardised names” for different locations in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territorial claimsBeijing refers to the state as “south Tibet”.
There have also been instances where Chinese authorities issued stapled visas to people from Arunachal Pradesh instead of regular visas, a practice India has strongly objected to.
In November 2025, India lodged a strong protest with China after a woman from Arunachal Pradesh was stopped at Shanghai airportChinese authorities reportedly questioned the validity of her Indian passport, further adding to tensions over Beijing’s claims regarding the state.
