The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticised China for what it described as “arbitrary actions” involving an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh who was detained during transit at Shanghai airport.
The ministry said such actions undermine attempts by both countries to rebuild trust.
At the weekly briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said China’s “arbitrary actions” involving an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh were “most unhelpful” to ongoing efforts by both sides to rebuild mutual trust and move toward the normalisation of bilateral relations.
He confirmed that India raised the matter with Chinese authorities in Beijing and Delhi.
Jaiswal also stressed the importance of maintaining calm along the border. "Maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border regions is a prerequisite for continued development of India-China relations," he said.
He referred to the October 2024 agreement on patrolling at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The deal addressed the long-standing standoffs in the Depsang and Demchok areas of Ladakh.
The progress was followed by a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Brazil, where both leaders discussed border issues and ways to improve relations.
The MEA reiterated India’s position on Arunachal Pradesh after China again questioned India’s sovereignty. "Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India," the government said, adding that China’s repeated claims do not alter this fact.
The statement came after the detention of Prema Wang Thongdok, an Indian citizen from Rupa in West Kameng district who now lives in the UK. She was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 and had a three-hour layover in Shanghai.
What should have been a routine transit became a distressing experience. Despite valid documents, she was allegedly blocked from moving ahead, given conflicting instructions, and questioned for hours. She said officials repeatedly challenged her documents on political grounds.
The MEA stated it took up her case “strongly” with Beijing.
According to the ministry, Chinese authorities have not been able to justify their actions. The MEA said the detention violated international air travel conventions as well as China’s own rules that allow visa-free transit for up to 24 hours for all foreign passengers.