India on Tuesday firmly rejected China’s objections to its decision to assign standardised names to 28 locations and geographical features in Ladakh, reiterating that the Union Territory is an integral and inalienable part of the country. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said no amount of denial could change this established fact. The exchange followed Beijing’s assertion that the areas belonged to China, escalating the diplomatic dispute over territorial claims along the sensitive India-China border.
MEA Hits Back
Responding to questions about China’s objections, Jaiswal said the Indian government’s position on Ladakh remained unchanged.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had announced standardised names for 28 locations and geographical features in consultation with the Ladakh administration and local stakeholders. The names have been included on the official Survey of India map to facilitate accurate identification and improve public awareness of the border region.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, however, said Beijing had never recognised what it described as the “so-called Union Territory of Ladakh” established by India.
Mao said China firmly opposed India’s announcement, calling the move “illegal and invalid”. She claimed the relevant areas in the western sector of the China-India boundary had always belonged to China and maintained that assigning new names could not alter that position.
Also Read: Punjab: Anti-Drug Activist Parminder Singh Jhota Shot Dead During Facebook Live
Strategic Border Points
India formally identified the 28 locations on October 2, including Gogra and Hot Spring, two key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that figured prominently during the 2020 military standoff between Indian and Chinese troops.
The locations are significant for Indian patrolling and operational activity along the disputed frontier. The naming exercise is intended to streamline official cartography and ensure consistent identification of strategically important geographical features.
Other locations on the list include Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir mountain, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley and Zorawar Peak.
The list also includes Dehra Compass, Drak Karpo, Jolmori, Kumarayana Point, Panglung, Rinchen Zangpo, Sakyasri Giri, Guru Rinpoche, Shamal Lungpa, Yangpa River, Marpa Lotsava Ri, Milarepa Kangri, Shiva Ri and Maheshwara Ri.
Border Dispute
The latest exchange comes against the backdrop of the military standoff that began on May 5, 2020 following a violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops near Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. Disengagement efforts began in 2022, although territorial claims and border-related tensions have continued to shape bilateral relations.
Also Read: Air India Cancels Flights To Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah Until October 17 Amid Saudi Arabia Tensions
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
