India slams China over ‘arbitrary detention’ of Arunachal woman in Shanghai: ‘Still no explanation’

India has sharply criticised China over the “arbitrary detention” of an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, saying Beijing’s actions violate international travel norms.

In response to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had taken up the matter “strongly” with Beijing.

“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evident fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality,” Jaiswal said.

He added that China had failed to explain why the woman — who held a valid passport and was in transit — was detained in violation of international aviation conventions and China’s own 24-hour visa-free transit rules.

18-hour ordeal at Shanghai Airport

The detained passenger, Pema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 when her three-hour layover turned into an 18-hour standoff.

‘Arunachal is not India’: Thongdok recounts

Thongdok speaking with ANI has said that Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong International Airport declared her Indian passport “invalid”, mocked her nationality and held her for nearly 18 hours, preventing her from boarding her connecting flight.

Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen residing in the UK for 14 years, said she was singled out by Chinese immigration staff during transit on November 21, despite carrying a valid Indian passport and a visa for Japan.

Describing the incident, Thongdok claimed officials questioned her birthplace and insisted she was “not Indian”.

“When I tried to question them and ask what the issue was, they said, ‘Arunachal is not part of India,’ and started mocking and laughing,” she said.

“They told me, ‘You should apply for a Chinese passport — you’re Chinese, you’re not Indian.’”

She said a female immigration officer pulled her out of the queue without explanation and repeatedly told her that her passport and visa were “not acceptable” because her birthplace was Arunachal Pradesh.

Humiliation and alleged racial mockery

Thongdok alleged that both immigration officers and China Eastern Airlines staff laughed at her and pointed to her passport while saying “Arunachal — China, not India.”

“That was very humiliating, questionable behaviour from the immigration staff as well as the airline staff,” she said.

She added that she was confined in the transit area without clear information or proper facilities and was unable to contact her family for hours.

Thongdok said she had previously transited through Shanghai without any issues.

“I have transited through Shanghai in the past with no issues at all,” she noted.

After several hours of distress, she managed to contact Indian diplomatic missions.

“I called up the Shanghai and Beijing Indian embassies and within an hour, the Indian officials came to the airport, got me some food and spoke through the issues with them,” she said.

“A very long ordeal, 18 hours, but glad that I’m out of there.”

Indian embassy officials intervened and facilitated her exit from the country.

Arunachal CM calls incident ‘appalling’

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the treatment meted out to Thongdok, calling it “unacceptable and appalling.”

“Subjecting her, despite a valid Indian passport, to such treatment is appalling,” Khandu said on X.

“Arunachal Pradesh is and will always be an integral part of India. Any insinuation otherwise is baseless and offensive.”

Khandu said he was “deeply shocked” and described the conduct of Chinese officials as “humiliation and racial mockery.”

Appeal to PM Modi and Centre

Thongdok has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials, calling the episode a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty and the people of Arunachal Pradesh.”

She urged the government to:

-demand accountability from China

-seek disciplinary action against officials

-push for compensation for harassment

Congress in Arunachal also condemns incident

The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) called the detention “shocking” and “unacceptable.”

APCC president Bosiram Siram said: “This incident is deeply distressing and reflects a blatant violation of human dignity. No Indian citizen should ever be subjected to such insulting and discriminatory conduct.”

Reaffirming the state’s status, the APCC said: “Every Arunachalee is a patriotic Indian. Arunachal Pradesh is our native homeland, and India is our motherland.”

The party urged the Centre to take swift diplomatic action, seek a formal explanation from Beijing, and ensure such incidents do not recur.

China’s claims over Arunachal

The confrontation comes against the backdrop of China’s long-standing claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls “South Tibet.” India has consistently rejected these claims, affirming that the state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.