India Names 27 Arunachal Sites on Official Map
India has formally standardised the names of 27 places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh on official Survey of India maps, a move that comes amid China’s repeated attempts to assign its own names to locations in the northeastern state.
India Names 27 Arunachal Pradesh Locations
The exercise was carried out by the Centre in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government. The move is intended to ensure accurate recognition of the locations and strengthen their presence on India’s official maps.
The list includes 21 land areas, four mountain passes, one lake and one memorial. Among the locations are Longju, Maja, Bisa, Jairampur, Jaswant Garh, Baisakhi, Sunpura and Kamlang Nagar.
The four mountain passes are Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Thag La, while Sambho Sarovar is the lake included in the exercise. The Sher-e-Thapa Memorial has also been formally identified.
Arunachal Mapping Counters China Renaming
The development comes against the backdrop of Beijing’s repeated publication of Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh.
China issued its first such list covering six locations in 2017, followed by 15 names in 2021 and another 11 in 2023. Beijing refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “Zangnan” and claims the region as part of its territory.
India has consistently rejected those claims, maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
Strategic Locations Added to Official Maps
Several of the identified locations have historical and strategic significance along the India-China frontier.
Longju was an early India-China flashpoint in 1959, while Thag La was associated with fighting during the 1962 war. Jairampur is also an important logistics hub in eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
The standardisation gives these locations formal recognition on India’s national mapping system and reinforces New Delhi’s position on Arunachal Pradesh.
