US Senate committee passes resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as integral territory of India

Less than a month after historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US, a Congressional Senatorial Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Presh as an integral part of India.

resolution was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen on Thursday.

resolution reaffirms that United States recognises McMahon Line as international boundary between People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Indian state of Arunachal Presh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Presh are PRC territory, which is a part of PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said.

resolution will now go to Senate floor for a full vote.

“America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at centre of all of our actions and relationships around world - especially as PRC government pushes an alternative vision,” said Senator Merkley, who serves as Co-Chair of Congressional Executive Commission on China.

“Committee passage of this resolution affirms that United States views Indian state of Arunachal Presh as part of Republic of India - not People’s Republic of China - and commits US to deepen support and assistance to region, alongside like-minded international partners,” he said.

Hagerty said at a time when China continues to pose grave and garing threats to free and open Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in region - especially India and or Qu countries - and push back against Chinese Communist Party’s broer strategy of territorial aggrandisement that it has pursued in South and East China Seas, in Himalayas, and in sourn Pacific.

“As tensions between India and China escalate over ir shared border, United States must stand strong in our defense of democracy by supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Senator Cornyn.

“This resolution would reaffirm that US recognises Indian state of Arunachal Presh as part of Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay,” he ded.

China refers to Arunachal Presh as Zangnan. Beijing claims Arunachal Presh as South Tibet, a claim firmly rejected by External Affairs Ministry which has asserted that state is an “inseparable part of India”.

Beijing routinely protests visits of top Indian leers and officials to Arunachal Presh to reaffirm its claim.