India rejects China’s objection to naming 28 Ladakh sites
India on Tuesday rejected China’s opposition to the standardisation of names for 28 geographical locations and features in Ladakh, reiterating that the Union Territory is an integral part of the country.
The response followed objections from Beijing after India announced the official names last week. The locations include key areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including Gogra and Hot Spring, which have been points of friction between Indian and Chinese forces.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said China’s objections would not alter India’s position on Ladakh’s status.
“The UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India,” Jaiswal said, adding that statements from the Chinese side could not change what India considers an established fact.
Referring to the Union Home Ministry’s announcement dated October 2, Jaiswal said the statement clearly explained the purpose of the exercise. He noted that the 28 locations and geographical features had been assigned standard names for inclusion on the official Survey of India map, following consultations with the Ladakh administration and local stakeholders.
According to the spokesperson, the initiative is intended to ensure accurate identification of geographical features and improve public awareness of the region.
China, however, strongly criticised the move. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing did not recognise the Union Territory of Ladakh, describing its establishment as unilateral and illegal from China’s perspective.
Mao also rejected India’s decision to publish standardised names for the locations, calling the action illegal and void. She maintained that the western sector of the China-India boundary belonged to China.
The exchange highlights the continuing differences between the two countries over territorial claims in the western Himalayan region. Both sides have held multiple rounds of discussions to address border tensions, but disagreements over the boundary remain unresolved.
India’s latest statement reinforces New Delhi’s position that the naming exercise is an administrative and geographical initiative, while China’s response reflects its continuing objections to India’s territorial claims in the area.
