India Slams China After Arunachal Woman Detained
India calls China’s remarks on Arunachal baseless after a woman from the state was detained for 18 hours at Shanghai airport despite valid travel documents.
NEW DELHI- India has issued a strong diplomatic protest after an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was detained for over 18 hours at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, despite possessing valid travel documents and travelling on a lawful transit route. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from New Delhi, which described the action as a violation of international aviation norms.
The matter escalated further when the Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement questioning India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the remarks, reaffirming that the state remains an “integral and inalienable” part of India. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that no external claims can alter this fact, and confirmed that India has lodged formal protests in both New Delhi and Beijing.
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According to the MEA, the treatment of the passenger breached established global frameworks, including the Chicago and Montreal conventions that regulate international air travel. India noted that China failed to justify the detention, even though its regulations allow up to 24 hours of visa-free international transit for all nationalities.
Officials expressed concern that the traveller’s birthplace was selectively questioned. The woman, identified as Prema Wang Thongdok, was en route from London to Japan on November 21, with a scheduled three-hour layover in Shanghai. Her passport was repeatedly flagged by airport authorities, who reportedly declared it “invalid” due to the birthplace listed as Arunachal Pradesh. She also reported inconsistent instructions, prolonged interrogation, and lack of clarity from officials before being allowed to proceed.
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China has denied misconduct, stating that its officers acted in accordance with domestic rules and provided basic amenities during the detention. However, its renewed territorial claim over Arunachal Pradesh—issued alongside the explanation—has further strained bilateral relations.
Indian officials described the episode as an avoidable provocation at a time when both sides have indicated interest in stabilising ties. The government reiterated that harassment of Indian citizens based on political claims is unacceptable, and that India’s position on Arunachal Pradesh remains unchanged.
