PM Modi inaugurated several developmental projects during his one-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh Highlights Arunachal Pradesh an integral, inalienable part of India: Government It also said the position has been conveyed to China on several occasions India should refrain from action that complicate boundary question: China Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, the government reiterated its stand, after China objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the northeastern state today. "The state of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other parts of India," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "This consistent position has been conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions," the ministry's statement added. Prime Minister Modi today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects in Arunachal Pradesh worth more than Rs 4,000 crore and said the centre was giving a lot of importance to improve connectivity in the state. However, China reacting to PM Modi's visit, asserted that it has never recognized the sensitive border state and India should refrain from any action that may "complicate the boundary question". China repeatedly slams visits by Indian leaders and foreign dignitaries to the state, which it claims as part of South Tibet and its own. "China's position on the Sino-Indian border issue is consistent and clear. The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh and resolutely opposes the activities of Indian leaders to the eastern section of the Sino-Indian border," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in Beijing. "China urges the Indian side to bear in mind the common interests of the two countries, respect the interests and concerns of the Chinese side, cherish the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, and refrain from any action that may lead to the escalation of disputes or complicate the boundary question," the Chinese spokesperson added. China said such actions would also hurt the progress made by both sides, especially after the path-breaking meet between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan last year. India and China have so far held 21 rounds of talks to resolve the border dispute over Arunachal. The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC). China routinely objects to Indian leaders visiting Arunachal Pradesh to highlight its stand. In 2017, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh infuriated China, prompting it to rename some towns in the northeastern state.<doc-sep>Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the gathering at the inauguration of several development projects, in Itanagar, Saturday. (Source: PIB Photo via PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the gathering at the inauguration of several development projects, in Itanagar, Saturday. (Source: PIB Photo via PTI) With China “firmly” opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India asserted the state is an integral and inalienable part of the country. New Delhi also said Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh just as they visit other parts of India. Beijing has raised similar objections in the past to Indian leaders visiting the state, and New Delhi has stuck to its consistent position. On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “The state of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other parts of India. This consistent position has been conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions.” Earlier in the day, China said that it has never recognised the sensitive border state and that the Indian leadership should refrain from any action that may “complicate the boundary question”. Prime Minister Modi Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore in Arunachal Pradesh and said his government was laying a lot of emphasis on improving connectivity in the border state. In response to a question on Modi’s visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “China’s position on the China-India boundary question is consistent and clear-cut. The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ and is firmly opposed to the Indian leader’s visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary.” “China urges the Indian side to bear in mind the common interests of the two countries, respect the interests and concerns of the Chinese side, cherish the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, and refrain from any action that may lead to the escalation of disputes or complicate the boundary question,” she said in her reaction posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s website. China claims the Northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet. India and China have so far held 21 rounds of talks to resolve the border dispute.<doc-sep>Despite recent efforts to improve bilateral ties in both countries, disputes over the mountainous Indo-China border - which triggered a war in 1962 - and the region that China claims as southern Tibet have remained a sensitive issue. (File photo: Reuters) China’s foreign ministry on Saturday condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying it "resolutely opposes" activities of Indian leaders in the region. PM Modi's visit was part of a series of public meetings in the region. Despite recent efforts to improve bilateral ties in both countries, disputes over the mountainous Indo-China border - which triggered a war in 1962 - and the region that China claims as southern Tibet have remained a sensitive issue. "China urges the Indian side to proceed from the overall situation of bilateral relations, respect China’s interests and concerns, cherish the momentum of improving relations between the two countries, and refrain from any actions that intensify disputes and complicate the border issue," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in response, said Arunachal Pradesh was an integral and inalienable part of India, and Indian leaders could visit it as and when required. "The state of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other parts of India. This consistent position has been conveyed to Chinese side on several occasions," a MEA spokesperson said. Both India and China have sought to rebuild trust after an armed standoff over a stretch of the Himalayan border in 2017. In furtherance of this, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met a number of times last year to give impetus to the trade discussions. (With inputs from agencies)<doc-sep>
Delhi: New Delhi on Saturday reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an “integral and inalienable part of India” after China objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the northeastern state. “The State of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral & inalienable part of India. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other parts of India,” read a statement from MEA. China's foreign ministry on Saturday condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, also claimed by China, saying it "resolutely opposes" activities of Indian leaders in the region. Modi's visit was part of a series of public meetings in the region aimed at garnering support for the BJP ahead of elections that are due to be held by May. Despite recent efforts to improve bilateral ties in both countries, disputes over the mountainous Indo-China border — which triggered a war in 1962 — and the region that China claims as southern Tibet have remained a sensitive issue. "China urges the Indian side to proceed from the overall situation of bilateral relations, respect China's interests and concerns, cherish the momentum of improving relations between the two countries, and refrain from any actions that intensify disputes and complicate the border issue," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. Both India and China have sought to rebuild trust after an armed standoff over a stretch of the Himalayan border in 2017. Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met a number of times last year to give impetus to the trade discussions. But progress, according to government officials and representatives of various Indian trade bodies, has been very slow.