India has officially identified 27 places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh on its official maps. The move comes amid China’s repeated attempts to rename locations in the northeastern state.
Officials said the step is aimed at reinforcing India’s sovereign and legal claim over the territories. It also seeks to bring greater clarity to official records and maps.
The Union home ministry said the names were finalised in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government.
The ministry said it had “identified a total of 27 places or features in Arunachal Pradesh, by standard place and feature names on the official maps of Survey of India (SoI)”.
It added that “Identifying them formally on the Survey of India map of Arunachal Pradesh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large.”
Which Places Are Included?
The list covers 21 land areas, four mountain passes, one lake and one monument. The land areas include Longju, Maja, Bisa, Bara Kundun, Chhota Kundun, Dhan Bari, Pritnagar, Buddhamandir, Jairampur, Teritnagar, Ramnagar, Jaswant Garh, Sagar, Padma, Jyotinagar, Baisakhi, Chhota Ropuk, Bara Ropuk, Shivaji Nagar, Sunpura and Kamlang Nagar.
The four passes are Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Thag La. Sambho Sarovar lake and Sher-e-Thapa Memorial are also part of the list. Longju is particularly significant. Officials said the border village has been under Chinese control since 1959 but falls within India’s claim line.
Why India’s Map Move Matters
An official familiar with the development said: “There has been a lot of ambiguity regarding the maps. China uses this to give fictitious names to Arunachal Pradesh’s territories, which are part of sovereign India.”
The official added: “Putting these 27 locations on the Survey of India map provides clarity, makes our claim status strong and strengthens the official documentation of geographical features.”
Officials said official mapping also has practical value. It can help in land and revenue records, census work, infrastructure planning and border road construction.
China’s Arunachal Pradesh Naming Row
China has repeatedly issued its own “standardised names” for places in Arunachal Pradesh. Beijing calls the state “south Tibet” and claims it as part of its territory.
India has consistently rejected these claims. In April, after China assigned names to 23 locations, the Ministry of External Affairs called the move an attempt to create “baseless narratives”.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India rejected “any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India”.
He added, “China should refrain from actions which inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to create better understanding.”
Jaiswal also stressed that such attempts cannot change the “undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India”.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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