'Arunachal Pradesh Is Part Of India Because It's Part Of India...' Says EAM Jaishankar As He Junks 'Ludicrous' Chinese Claims

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Singapore: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar strongly condemned China's claims to Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, emphasising that the north-eastern state is a part of India. For the unversed, China recently reiterated its claim to Arunachal Pradesh and this statement from EAM Jaishnakar has come to its counter. Recently, the Chinese Defense Ministry referred to the Indian State as "Zangan, an inherent part of China's territory," and claimed that Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the "so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India."

Following on this, India dismissed the 'absurd claims' and 'baseless arguments,' asserting that the northeastern state is an "integral and inalienable part of India."

The External Affairs Minister (EAM) described Beijing's claims as "ludicrous," adding that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and not just because other countries claim it to be. The EAM, who is in Singapore as part of a three-nation tour, was speaking at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore about his book 'Why Bharat Matters'.

"This is not a new issue," Jaishankar stated in response to a question posed during the event. He added, "China has laid claim, expanded its claim. The claims were ludicrous to begin with, and they remain ludicrous today. And Arunachal Pradesh is part of India because it is part of India, not because some other country says it is part of India."

"So, I think we have been very clear, very consistent on this. And this is something that will be part of the boundary discussion which are taking place," he stated.

In an official statement issued today, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that Arunachal Pradesh's people will "continue to benefit" from India's development programmes and infrastructure projects.

Speaking at the event, Jaishankar slammed China for disrupting the 'equilibrium' at the border with the 2020 border standoff.

The EAM on his three nation tour, said that,"A sustainable equilibrium between two rising powers, who also happen to be neighbours and have a history and population which sets them apart from the rest of the world...and who have the capabilities which in the passage of time, can set them apart with the rest of the world. So this is a very, very complex challenge. The starting point would be if you are trying to do something difficult, at least the parts that were worked out, at least keep them going."

He stressed on the border standoff with China that came as a huge 'surprise' and further emphasised the need to maintain "peace and tranquility" at the border.

"It came as a great surprise to us when the Chinese, in 2020, chose to do something on the border, which were completely violative of the agreements we had reached. So, instead of solidifying the foundation for an equilibrium, they went and disturbed the foundation," He added.

"We are not talking about solving the boundary dispute, we are talking about maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border. And we had. From 1975 to 2020, nobody got killed on the border, so for 45 years it worked. We have to ask ourselves today, why is it not working now," Jaishankar said.