'Vain, preposterous': India on China's attempts to name places in Arunachal

New Delhi: India on Wednesday outrightly rejected China's attempts to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh, saying such "preposterous" attempts will not alter the "undeniable" reality that the state "was, is, and will" always remain an integral part of India. New Delhi's reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which the neighbouring country claims as the southern part of Tibet.

"We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically," he said. Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue. "Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India," he said.