India has issued a strong demarche to China following the detention and alleged harassment of an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh during her transit at Shanghai Pudong Airport. The woman, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, was detained for over 18 hours after Chinese immigration officials reportedly declared her Indian passport invalid on the grounds that her birthplace, Arunachal Pradesh, is claimed by China as its territory.

This incident led to her passport being confiscated and her being barred from boarding her onward flight to Japan, despite holding a valid visa.

The Indian government reacted promptly by issuing simultaneous diplomatic protests in Beijing and New Delhi on the day the incident occurred. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai also intervened locally to provide full assistance to the stranded passenger.

Indian officials stressed that the detention was made on "ludicrous grounds" and reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and indisputable part of India. They emphasised that residents of Arunachal Pradesh are fully entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports.

India highlighted that China’s actions contravened international civil aviation norms, specifically referencing the Chicago and Montreal Conventions, which govern the treatment of passengers and airline operations during international transit.

The incident is also seen as an unnecessary obstruction to ongoing efforts by both countries to normalize relations, causing diplomatic tension at a sensitive time.

The detained woman reported an ordeal marked by harassment and mocking by Chinese officials, who insisted that her Indian passport was invalid because of the mention of Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.

The Chinese authorities reportedly pressured her to purchase a new ticket and refused to accept her travel documents, which led to a strong diplomatic response from India asserting the sovereignty of Arunachal Pradesh and protection of its citizens' rights.

This episode underscores the continuing disputes over Arunachal Pradesh between India and China and represents a significant diplomatic challenge. India’s firm demarche reflects its commitment to safeguarding the rights of its citizens and maintaining its territorial claims in the face of such provocations by Chinese authorities.​​

Agencies