Arunachal Pradesh names peak after Dalai Lama leaving China unnerved :::: President Murmu visits Siachen Base camp

China irked as Indian team names Arunachal Pradesh peak after Dalai Lama 

Arunachal Pradesh 

Along the LAC front in eastern Ladakh, China and India have been able to “reduce differences” and build “some consensus” on disengaging troops from friction points to end the standoff.

However, even as China and India are learnt to have built “some consensus” on disengaging troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Beijing has once again reiterated its territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has expressed displeasure over a group of Indian mountaineers naming a previously unnamed peak in the state after the 6th Dalai Lama.

 “It’s illegal, and null and void for India to set up the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” in Chinese territory,” he said at a media briefing in Beijing.

This comes after an expedition by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) under the Ministry of Defence. 

A team led by director Col Ranveer Singh Jamwal scaled an unnamed and unclimbed 20,942 ft high peak in Arunachal Pradesh and decided to name the summit after the 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso, who was born in 1682 in the region of Mon Tawang.

Why is the peak named after 6th Dalai Lama?

The decision on the peak’s name was meant as a tribute to his timeless wisdom and his profound contributions to the Monpa community and beyond, as per a Defence Ministry press release.

In reference to this, Jian said he was not aware of the particular naming. “Let me say more broadly that the area of Zangnan is Chinese territory… This has been China’s consistent position,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Arunchal’s Chief Minister Pema Khandu extended his wishes to the NIMAS team for the achievement. 

“Led by Director Ranveer Jamwal, they’ve successfully summited an untamed peak in the Gorichen Massif of Mon Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh, reaching an impressive 6,383 meters!” he wrote on X.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet. It has been renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh — which it calls Zangnan — since 2017 to assert territorial claims by terming the area an “inherent part of China’s territory”.

India has continued to emphatically reject these claims over Arunachal Pradesh. On several occasions, New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing’s move to assign “invented” names to the area, saying it did not alter the reality, says a piece in 'Indian Express'. 

Earlier this year, New Delhi had rejected Beijing’s objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal. This was in line with China routinely objecting to Indian leaders’ visits to the state to highlight its claims.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said China’s objection to such visits will not change the reality that Arunachal Pradesh “was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.”

President Droupadi Murmu visited Siachen Base Camp and addressed the soldiers posted there on Sept 26. The President said that as the supreme commander of the armed forces, she felt very proud of them and that all citizens salute their bravery. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a tweet said - "The President’s inspiring visit to Siachen is a testament to her unwavering commitment to our Armed Forces. 

By visiting the world's highest battlefield, she has not only boosted the morale of our brave soldiers but also demonstrated India’s collective respect and gratitude for their service and sacrifices."