In the Northeastern region of India lies an area that Indians refer to as Arunachal Pradesh, while the Chinese call it Zangnan. It is a historically and culturally rich region. After India gained independence in 1947, this region became a part of the Indian Union. However, from China’s perspective, it was and still is a part of Chinese territory.
From a historical viewpoint, this region holds significant importance. Between 1912 and 1913, an agreement was made between the British and Indian authorities. In 1914, Sir Henry McMahon drew a boundary line under this agreement, establishing an 890-kilometer-long line that demarcated the region as part of India. This agreement came to be known as the Simla Convention However, the People’s Republic of China has never accepted this boundary line.Twenty years after the Simla convention, in 1937, the Survey of India released a map designating the McMahon Line as the Line of Control. This move is considered a part of India’s broader strategy a pattern of occupying land belonging to neighboring countries, which is not surprising for those who understand India’s historical conduct.
On August 15, 1947, India became independent. In 1949, after the Communist Revolution in China, a new era began. China declared the McMahon Line illegal. In 1954, India officially established the region under the name North East Frontier Agency. Between 1950 and 1960, relations between India and China remained relatively normal without any
conflict. However, in 1962, a border war broke out between China and India, known in history as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict. This conflict changed the dynamics of the region. On January 20, 1972, India changed the name from the North East Frontier Agency to Arunachal Pradesh, a Sanskrit term meaning “Land of the Rising Sun.” In the same year, India declared it as a Union Territory. On February 20, 1987, the Indian Parliament passed a bill and officially declared it as an Indian state.
When we look at the borders of Arunachal Pradesh, we find that it shares boundaries with Bhutan, Myanmar and China. The border with Bhutan is 160 kilometers (99 miles), with China it is 1,080 kilometers (670 miles) and with Myanmar it is 440 kilometers (270 miles).
India has a long history of land disputes and occupations be it in Kashmir, Hyderabad Deccan, Junagadh, or Manavadar or its actions with Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. India’s expansionist approach is not hidden from anyone. China, however, has never accepted the British drawn McMahon Line. Geographically, culturally and socially, when we look at Zangnan or Arunachal Pradesh, the people, traditions and cultures of the region align more closely with China. This has nothing to do with it, brother. If we talk about the population the population is 1,383,727 people, which makes up a total of 22%. Now, regarding the new developments in this region in 2025, China introduced new dimensions. As per a 2016 Chinese statement, China had declared that by 2025, it would avoid any tense situation with India and that India should return the Arunachal Pradesh region to China. But as always, India displayed double standards.
Therefore, in 15 May 2025, China introduced some new dimensions which will always be remembered. China declared Arunachal Pradesh as its own territory, renamed it ‘Zangnan’ in Chinese and changed the names of 27 locations within Arunachal Pradesh, assigning them names in Chinese because China considers this region its own.
The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is divided into three sectors:
Western Sector between Ladakh (Indian side) and Tibet & Xinjiang (Chinese side),
Middle Sector between Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh (Indian side) and Tibet’s 98 region (Chinese side),
Eastern Sector Arunachal Pradesh (Indian side) and from the Chinese side, it borders the Tibet Autonomous Region. China has renamed 27 locations, which include 15 mountains, 5 residential areas, 4 mountain passes, 2 rivers, and 1 lake. Each location has been given a relevant Chinese character name.
If we look at the politics of South Asia, India’s terrorist-like policies have left no country in the region safe. As part of this pattern, the recent tensions between Pakistan and India made it clear to the entire world that no country in South Asia sees India in a positive light especially during the Pakistan-India conflict, where India seemed isolated, with only Israel showing support. So, India despite having spent a heavy amount of money to buy technology from France, drones from Israel and advanced military equipment from the U.S completely failed in this war. When Pakistan’s air force shot down the Rafale jets in large numbers, the whole world saw how Pakistan’s Army, Air Force and Navy created a strong impression. But the most crucial aspect of this situation was China’s role, where Chinese technology was tested. The JF-17 Thunder jets and other Chinese systems were used and they out performed European systems, establishing China’s technology as superior on the global stage.
Now, China and Pakistan are two very important countries in this region geopolitically and geostrategically and they have a significant role. After the recent Pakistan-India tensions, the friendship between China and Pakistan has emerged as a model alliance in the eyes of the world. In such a tense situation, when the nuclear power China reaffirmed its claim over Arunachal Pradesh by renaming 27 locations and declaring them as part of its map, it sent a clear message to India: find a solution to this issue, or China will not spare you this time. Geographically, culturally and in terms of moral values, this region (Arunachal Pradesh) has 100% similarities with China. So if China succeeds in regaining this territory, it would be a significant achievement. India, on the other hand, is occupying Kashmir in a similar manner, which has been an unresolved issue for many years, where hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris have lost their lives. When a person as incompetent as Modi becomes the Prime Minister of a country, he recklessly pushes two nuclear powers into the fire of war just to secure success in elections, without any research or thoughtful decision-making.
So, it can be said that India has suffered a major defeat in this region. If China successfully incorporates Arunachal Pradesh into its territory, then this part rightfully belongs to China. The government of Pakistan, its foreign office, its people and its army fully support China on this matter. We believe China should get back its rightful territory.
India has played the role of an aggressor in this region for many years, constantly trying to grab land forcibly. If this region becomes part of China, it will move toward development. Right now, there is no proper education or infrastructure in that region. The people of Pakistan, its armed forces, and all segments of society respect China and fully support it on this issue.
