Escalation around Arunachal Pradesh: the India–China confrontation shows signs of renewed tension

On November 21, 2025, the Chinese migration service for the first time detained an Indian citizen on the basis of non-recognition of Indian sovereignty.

The reason for the arrest at Shanghai airport was her origin: representatives of Chinese law enforcement and China Eastern Airlines stated that her passport, issued in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, is invalid because this territory is an "integral part of the PRC."

They also insisted that she must apply for a Chinese passport. The woman was released after an 18-hour arrest only after the intervention of Indian diplomats.

Notably, this Indian citizen of Tibetan origin was traveling from the United Kingdom, where she has lived for the past 14 years, to Japan. This was not her first trip on this route, and previously no migration issues arose with her in the PRC.