![[File] Indian and Chinese soldiers celebrate New Year 2019 on the Arunachal Pradesh border | PTI](https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/magazine/theweek/cover/images/2022/10/14/37-Indian-and-Chinese-soldiers.jpg "[File] Indian and Chinese soldiers celebrate New Year 2019 on the Arunachal Pradesh border | PTI")
India on Wednesday rejected China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh as “absurd” and “baseless” while asserting that the northeastern state is an “integral and inalienable” part of the country.
The firm response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came two days after the Chinese military called Arunachal an “inherent part of China’s territory”.
"We have noted the comments made by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity," said a statement issued by MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
"Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects," the statement added.
The Chinese military had claimed that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China’s territory, and Beijing has never acknowledged and has firmly opposed the “so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India”.
Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang's comments came in response to India’s enhancement of its military readiness through the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal.
Earlier, China had raised objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state. India dismissed the objections, saying they do not stand to reason.
"We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other states of India. Objecting to such visits or India's developmental projects does not stand to reason," Jaiswal said on March 12.
Modi virtually inaugurated the strategic Sela Tunnel on March 9 during an event held in Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal.
The tunnel, constructed at an altitude of 13,000 feet, connects Tezpur in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
