Defense Minister Rajnath Singh slams China's Arunachal renaming, warns of strained relations

Guwahati: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday slammed China's recent decision to rename certain areas of Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that it will not alter the ground realities and warning that it could strain relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

"China recently renamed some parts of Arunachal Pradesh on one of their websites. However, such renaming will not yield any benefits. I want to convey to our neighbor that what if tomorrow we were to rename some of their regions and states? Would those places suddenly become ours because of a mere name change? China should not harbor such misconceptions," Hindustan Times quoted Singh as saying at a public gathering in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh.

“We want to maintain good relations with all our neighbours. But if anybody tries to harm our self-respect, India has the capability to give a befitting reply,” the defence minister asserted.

Singh underscored the government's efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in rectifying past mistakes and enhancing infrastructure in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh adjacent to China, emphasizing the development of strategically located villages.

Describing the people of Arunachal Pradesh as invaluable assets, he commended their bravery in times of conflict with China.

"There exists a stark contrast between the actions of the Congress-led governments over the decade prior to our tenure and the governance under Narendra Modi since 2014," Singh asserted, accusing previous Congress government of neglecting the region.

"Our words align with our actions under Modi's leadership. Our manifestos reflect our commitment, unlike the prior Congress and other party governments who often failed to uphold their promises," he remarked.

India had previously rejected China's renaming of certain areas in Arunachal Pradesh as "baseless," asserting that assigning "fabricated" names does not change the reality of the state's integral status within India.

Beijing recently declared Chinese names for 30 additional places in Arunachal Pradesh, a region which it claims as part of southern Tibet.

In reference to the investment in the northeast during the BJP-led NDA government's tenure, Singh claimed that the funds allocated to the region far exceeded those sanctioned during the Congress rule.

"We have initiated the UNNATI scheme for the northeast with a total investment of Rs 10,000 crore. This initiative aims to provide employment opportunities for the youth of the region," he highlighted.