India has officially standardised the names of 27 locations and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh on Survey of India maps, in a move that comes amid an ongoing dispute with China over the naming and territorial status of places in the northeastern state.
The updated mapping exercise has been carried out in consultation with the Arunachal Pradesh government and includes mountain passes, villages, a high-altitude lake, cultural sites and locations associated with India’s military history. The move is being viewed as a firm assertion of India’s administrative and territorial position in the strategically important border state.
India Formalises 27 Names on Official Maps
The newly standardised names have been incorporated into the official mapping framework of the Survey of India. According to the details released, the objective is to provide precise geographical identification while ensuring that India’s official nomenclature is consistently used across government records, educational material and other official references.
The locations include Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La and Thag La, along with Sambho Sarovar. Several settlements and other geographical features, including Longju, Maja, Bisa, Jairampur, Sunpura and Kamlang Nagar, have also been included in the updated records.
The government has said that accurate mapping is particularly important in remote border areas, where geographical records can support administration, infrastructure planning and geospatial coordination.
Move Comes Amid China’s Renaming Attempts
India’s latest cartographic move comes against the backdrop of China’s repeated attempts to assign its own names to locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing refers to as part of “Zangnan” or southern Tibet.
China has issued several lists of purportedly standardised names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh over the past decade. Beijing released six names in 2017, followed by 15 names in 2021 and another 11 in 2023. New Delhi has consistently rejected these attempts, maintaining that changing the names of places does not alter their status or India’s administration of the territory.
The Indian government has previously described China’s renaming exercises as having no legal effect and has reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
Longju Holds Special Significance
Among the locations included in the latest official mapping exercise is Longju, a place with historical significance in the India-China border dispute.
Longju became an early flashpoint in India-China tensions when Chinese troops entered the area in 1959. Its inclusion in the updated Indian mapping records therefore carries significance beyond geographical identification, particularly given the region’s history of border tensions.
Maja in Upper Subansiri district and Jairampur in Changlang district are also among the locations formally recorded. Jairampur has strategic importance because of its location along routes connecting eastern Arunachal Pradesh with areas near the Myanmar frontier.
Military History Also Reflected on the Map
The updated maps also recognise locations connected with India’s military history.
Jaswant Garh, associated with Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, has been formally included. Rawat was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his role during the 1962 India-China war on the road to Tawang.
The Sher-e-Thapa Memorial, which commemorates Havildar Sher Bahadur Thapa and his contribution during the 1962 conflict, has also been included in the mapping exercise. The Baisakhi post, another location linked to India’s border defence history, has received formal recognition as well.
The inclusion of these sites gives the updated maps an additional historical dimension, connecting geographical records with India’s military heritage in the border region.
Arunachal Pradesh Remains a Key India-China Flashpoint
Arunachal Pradesh has remained one of the most sensitive areas in the India-China border dispute. India administers the state, while China continues to claim large parts of it and refers to the region as southern Tibet.
The latest naming exercise is therefore significant not only from a cartographic perspective but also as part of India’s broader effort to reinforce its administrative presence and territorial position.
By incorporating the names into official Survey of India records, New Delhi is ensuring that the locations have a consistent identity across government and public documentation.
India-China Border Dispute Continues
The latest development highlights how the India-China territorial dispute extends beyond military deployments and diplomatic negotiations to maps, geographical names and official records.
India’s decision to standardise 27 locations comes as both countries continue to manage sensitive issues along the Line of Actual Control. While the naming exercise does not itself change the physical situation on the ground, it represents another expression of India’s position regarding Arunachal Pradesh.
With China continuing to issue its own names for locations in the region and India maintaining its rejection of those claims, geographical naming is likely to remain part of the wider diplomatic and strategic contest between the two Asian powers.
