China’s Refusal to Recognise Arunachal-Born Indian Traveller’s Passport Sparks Diplomatic Protest from India
India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Beijing after a UK-based Indian woman, originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was reportedly detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport by Chinese immigration officials who refused to recognise her Indian passport.
The episode has escalated tensions between the two countries, with New Delhi asserting that Arunachal Pradesh remains an integral and inalienable part of India.
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She described the ordeal as deeply distressing, noting that she was held without formal documentation and was unable to contact her embassy or family due to China’s ban on social media platforms and search engines.
PTI: An Indian woman hailing from Arunachal Pradesh has said that she was on a transit to Japan from London and was detained in Shanghai for about 18 hours simply because of her Indian passport. Apparently, the Indian consular staff have to intervene to get her released. And also… pic.twitter.com/gXLmAk7P14
— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) November 25, 2025
Thongdok, a UK resident and financial adviser, said Chinese authorities at first refused her onward travel to Japan and instead insisted she return to either India or the UK.
The lack of access to communication tools, including Google and WhatsApp, delayed her ability to seek consular help. She eventually contacted the Indian Consulate in Shanghai after obtaining a landline to call her friends in London.
Though Indian officials intervened swiftly, Thongdok claims Chinese authorities dismissed their involvement, reiterating their stance that Arunachal Pradesh -- illegally referred to as "Zangnan" by China -- is part of Chinese territory. The incident forced her to abandon her original plans and reroute via Bangkok, incurring significant personal losses.
Our response to media queries on statements made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry⬇️
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 25, 2025
🔗 https://t.co/3JUnXjIBLc pic.twitter.com/DjEdy7TmTK
Responding to international media queries, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied any coercive treatment, stating that the border inspection procedures were carried out "in accordance with laws and regulations."
Mao also restated Beijing’s long-held territorial claim over Arunachal Pradesh, dismissing India’s issuance of passports listing the state as a birthplace.
India’s foreign ministry rejected this position outright. “Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
He added that China’s actions were in violation of several international air travel conventions, as well as its own stated policies that allow visa-free transit of up to 24 hours for foreign nationals.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the incident as a “violation of international norms and an affront to the dignity of Indian citizens,” while India’s main opposition Congress Party called China’s refusal to recognise the passport a “blatant attack on India’s integrity.”
BREAKING: "China has never recognized the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” illegally set up by India. Zangnan is China's territory," declares China's Foreign Ministry pic.twitter.com/yhdqwIyXST
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) November 25, 2025
The episode has drawn renewed attention to China's practice of questioning documents that reference India's Arunachal Pradesh as part of India, including previous instances involving stapled visas for Indian residents of the region.