India's foreign ministry spokesman stressed that the state of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country. Yesterday, Beijing said an area of the state should be ceded to China.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — The northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh on the border with China is an essential part of the country, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Gopal Baglay told Sputnik on Friday.
"Our stand on Arunachal Pradesh remains same. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India," Baglay said.
On Thursday, former Special Representative of China on the boundary talks with India Dai Bingguo stated that the Tawang province in Arunachal Pradesh was an "inalienable" part of Tibet and that the dispute between the parties could only be settled if India agreed to cede the province to China.
The official added that, in return, China would make concessions in Aksai Chin region, which India claims to be part of Ladakh region in the northern Jammu and Kashmir state.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.