‘Let me correct you… we share a border with Tibet, not China’: Arunachal CM Pema Khandu | WATCH

New Delhi: In a pointed and diplomatically loaded statement, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has asserted that his state does not share a border with China, but rather with Tibet -- a nuanced take with significant geopolitical implications.

Speaking to PTI Videos, Khandu was quick to correct the interviewer’s reference to Arunachal Pradesh's 1,200-km border with China. “Let me correct you here. We share a border with Tibet, not China,” he said.

While acknowledging that Tibet is currently under Chinese control, he emphasised that historically the region has always bordered Tibet. “Officially, Tibet is under China now. That can't be ruled out. But originally, we share a border with Tibet,” Khandu stated, adding that Arunachal Pradesh shares three international boundaries -- approximately 150 km with Bhutan, about 1,200 km with Tibet, and roughly 550 km with Myanmar.

Khandu further asserted that no Indian state directly borders China, but rather the region historically known as Tibet, which was forcibly annexed by China in the 1950s. He cited the Shimla Convention of 1914 -- a tripartite agreement involving British India, Tibet, and China -- as evidence supporting his claim of a historical Indo-Tibet border.

The chief minister’s remarks come amid growing tensions and renewed Chinese claims over Arunachal Pradesh, including repeated attempts to rename places in the region. “I think the last time they renamed many places in Arunachal… if I am not mistaken, this was their fifth attempt in total. So it is not surprising for us,” he said, dismissing China's name-mangling efforts as a familiar tactic.

Khandu added that India’s Ministry of External Affairs has addressed China’s renaming attempts appropriately each time.

His comments, while subtle, serve as a firm rebuttal to China's assertive claims and appear intended to reinforce Arunachal Pradesh's historical and cultural identity -- one aligned with Tibet, not Beijing.