A woman from Arunachal Pradesh, currently residing in the United Kingdom, has alleged that she was detained by immigration officials at the Shanghai airport in China for nearly 18 hours after they refused to recognize her Indian passport during a transit stop. The incident raised concerns about China’s repeated questioning of India’s territorial claims.
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Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who was en route from London to Japan on November 21, said her planned three-hour layover turned into a harrowing experience after immigration officials declared her passport “invalid” simply because it mentioned Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.
Thongdok, whose family hails from Rupa in West Kameng district, claimed that Chinese authorities insisted that Arunachal Pradesh “belongs to China” and pressured her to recognize their claim before continuing to process her transit.
In a detailed post on X on Sunday, she claimed: “On November 21, 2025, I was detained at Shanghai airport for over 18 hours by China Eastern Airlines. They invalidated my Indian passport because my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh, which they claimed was Chinese territory.”
She claimed she was confined in a transit area without a clear explanation, access to proper food or basic amenities.
She also claimed that her passport was confiscated and she was prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Japan despite having a valid visa. What was supposed to be a routine transit, she said, turned into a worrisome situation with airport authorities.
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Finally, with the help of a friend in the UK, she reached the Indian consulate in Shanghai. Officials there reportedly helped her catch an overnight flight from the Chinese city.
Prema has since written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high officials, calling the incident a “direct affront to Indian sovereignty and the people of Arunachal Pradesh”.
It urged New Delhi to take up the matter strongly with Beijing, demand accountability, seek disciplinary action against those involved and seek adequate compensation for the harassment it faced.
India reacts
India has issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side in Beijing and Delhi over the incident of Indian national Prem Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, facing harassment by Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai Pudong airport, sources told ANI on Monday.
Sources said the Indian Consulate in Shanghai also took charge of the matter on the spot and provided assistance to the stranded passenger.
It was pointed out that the passenger was detained for ridiculous reasons. Arunachal Pradesh is undeniably Indian territory and its residents have every right to hold and travel with Indian passports, ANI reported.
It was also pointed out that the actions of the Chinese authorities are in violation of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions on Civil Aviation.
“On the same day of the incident, a strong demarche was made with the Chinese side in Beijing and Delhi. Our consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and provided full assistance to the stranded passenger,” a source told ANI.
ANI, citing sources, said it was also pointed out that the actions of the Chinese authorities were in violation of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions on Civil Aviation.
China’s false claims
The episode takes place against the backdrop of China’s long-standing and repeatedly asserted claim to Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls “Southern Tibet”. India has consistently rejected these claims, maintaining that the state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.
China has often tried to assert its position through diplomatic and administrative measures, often provoking strong responses from India.
Incidents such as the renaming of villages in Arunachal, the issuance of “standard maps” claiming Indian territory and objections to visits by Indian leaders to the state have repeatedly soured bilateral relations.
The incident also reflects China’s long-criticized practice of issuing stapled visas instead of stamped visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, an act India has condemned as an affront to its sovereignty.
Some athletes, students and officials from the state have previously been denied entry to China after refusing stapled visas, prompting India to protest and even cancel bilateral exchanges on many occasions.
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These recurring actions have often sparked public anger in the state and prompted diplomatic warnings from New Delhi, which says China must respect the sensitivity of the border issue and refrain from such unilateral measures.
Thongdok’s experience has reignited concerns that China may extend its visa logic to international transit points, potentially targeting travelers from Arunachal Pradesh even if they are only passing through Chinese airports, an official in Itanagar said.
What did the MEA say earlier?
India has consistently rejected China’s claims over Arunachal Pradesh, reiterating that the northeastern state is and will always be an integral and inseparable part of the country.
Responding to media inquiries in early May about China’s move to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India categorically rejects such actions.
“We have noticed that China persists in its futile and senseless attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. In line with our principled position, we categorically reject such attempts,” he said.
“Creative naming will not change the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he added.
(With input from agencies)
