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India stands firm on Ladakh place names despite Chinese objections
New Delhi has rejected Beijing's protest against the standardisation of 28 geographical names in Ladakh, reaffirming the Union territory's status as an integral part of India. The naming initiative includes key border friction points along the Line of Actual Control.
LSN India ·
India on Tuesday firmly rejected China's objection to the standardisation of 28 place names and geographical features in Ladakh, asserting that no external opposition can alter the territory's constitutional status within the Indian Union.
The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that Ladakh remains "an integral and inalienable part of India," dismissing Beijing's concerns over nomenclature announced by the Union Home Ministry on October 2. "No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this established fact," said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
The standardised names include designations for key border friction points along the Line of Actual Control, such as Gogra and Hot Spring, areas that have witnessed military standoffs between Indian and Chinese forces. The Home Ministry's announcement detailed the official nomenclature for all 28 locations across the Union territory.
Jaiswal characterised the Home Ministry's press release as self-explanatory, implying that the naming exercise requires no further clarification or justification. The move underscores New Delhi's administrative exercise of sovereignty over the region, reinforcing India's position on the disputed territory as tensions with China along the LAC remain unresolved.