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India reaffirms Ladakh sovereignty as MEA dismisses Chinese objections
India's Ministry of External Affairs has rejected Chinese objections to the naming of places in Ladakh, asserting that the region remains an integral part of Indian territory. The stance underscores New Delhi's firm position on its administrative and territorial authority over the union territory.
LSN India ·
The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated on Tuesday that Ladakh is an inalienable part of India and that New Delhi has the sovereign right to name places within its territory as it sees fit. The statement came in response to Chinese objections regarding India's nomenclature decisions in the region.
India's position reflects its constitutional framework, under which Ladakh was established as a separate union territory in 2019 following the reorganisation of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The MEA emphasised that India's administrative and territorial jurisdiction over Ladakh is not subject to external challenge or interference.
The development marks the latest in a series of diplomatic exchanges between New Delhi and Beijing over territorial matters. China has maintained its own territorial claims in the region, but India has consistently maintained that such disputes do not diminish its sovereign authority to govern and administer Ladakh.
Official sources indicated that India would continue to exercise its full administrative powers in the union territory, including the naming of geographical locations and settlements, in accordance with its domestic laws and procedures. The MEA's statement underscores New Delhi's determination to maintain its position on the matter regardless of external objections.