India counters China's 'map war', assigns official names to 27 Arunachal sites

The Survey of India has officially bestowed official names on 27 sites across Arunachal Pradesh, in a move that seeks to refute China's recurrent attempts to rename locations on the country's side of the McMahon Line. These sites include four significant mountain passes and a high-altitude lake. The process was carried out in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government. Union Home Minister's Office (MHA) explained that this is done to ensure accurate recognition and increased public awareness about these locations.

The 27 sites identified for naming purposes span a range of places, including one monument, three strategically important border villages in Upper Subansiri district, three passes along the McMahon Line, and a battlefield from the 1962 war in Tawang district. Several of these locations are steeped in historical significance as they were involved in India-China clashes.

For instance, Longju was one of the first battlegrounds to be occupied by Chinese forces in 1959; Thag La pass overlooks Namka Chu valley, where the conflict between the two nations commenced following China's invasion of India in 1962; Jaswant Garh in Tawang is dedicated to Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, a notable hero from the 1962 war; and Sambho Sarovar, a high-altitude glacial lake, is the solitary named lake among the others.

In April, China had announced Chinese names for 23 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls as “South Tibet”. The External Affairs Ministry swiftly responded by affirming that assigning "fictitious names" would not change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is "an integral and inalienable part of India". This McMahon Line, which delineates the border between India and China in the eastern sector, separates Arunachal Pradesh from Tibet.