India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with China after a UK-based Indian woman, originally from Arunachal Pradesh, was detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport on the alleged grounds that her Indian passport was “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth. The unprecedented incident has triggered a major diplomatic flashpoint, with New Delhi calling the Chinese action “ludicrous” and a violation of global aviation conventions.
The woman, Prema Thongdok, in her 30s, has been living in the United Kingdom for 14 years. She was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a scheduled three-hour transit in Shanghai. Instead, she found herself allegedly harassed, detained without food, denied onward travel, and mocked by Chinese airport officials who insisted that Arunachal Pradesh “is a part of China”.
India immediately responded with a strong demarche in Beijing and New Delhi, and its Consulate in Shanghai rushed six officials to assist the stranded passenger.
The Incident: “They said I should get a Chinese passport”
Describing her ordeal to The Indian Express, Prema said she was pulled out of the queue during a routine security check at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Officials pointed at the “Arunachal Pradesh” reference in her Indian passport and declared it invalid.
According to Prema:
- She was told Arunachal Pradesh “belongs to China”.
- Officials allegedly mocked her and told her she “should get a Chinese passport”.
- She was detained for 18 hours without proper access to food.
- She was denied permission to travel onward to Japan despite having a valid Japanese visa.
- She had no access to Google or any information, worsening her distress.
She said the officials gave her only two choices:
“Go back to the United Kingdom or fly to India.”
After hours of negotiation, she managed to contact the Indian Consulate, which intervened immediately and provided food and support.
India’s Response: “A challenge to sovereignty”
Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India strongly protested the Chinese action, calling it:
- “Ludicrous and unacceptable”
- “A direct challenge to India’s sovereignty”
- “In violation of international aviation norms under the Chicago and Montreal Conventions.”
India made it clear that:
Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and indisputable part of India.
Residents of Arunachal are fully entitled to Indian passports and international travel.
The MEA also emphasised that such actions introduce “unnecessary obstructions” at a time when both nations are attempting to restore normalcy in bilateral relations.
China’s Provocation Continues Amid Border Tensions
China’s obstructionist stance on Arunachal Pradesh is not new. Beijing:
- Issues “stapled visas” to Arunachal residents.
- Regularly renames Arunachal locations to assert fictitious historical claims.
- Objects to Indian leaders visiting the state.
- Claims Arunachal as “South Tibet,” a claim India rejects outright.
However, the detention of a civilian traveller at a foreign airport marks a significant escalation.
Diplomatic observers say this could be Beijing’s attempt to:
- Reassert territorial claims through bureaucratic harassment.
- Test India’s response amid ongoing border disengagement talks.
- Signal a hardline approach ahead of global geopolitical negotiations.
Prema’s Account: “I have not given up my Indian passport because I love my country”
Prema, who still has family in Arunachal, said she was deeply hurt by the treatment she received. She submitted a detailed complaint to the MEA seeking:
- Strong diplomatic action
- Compensation for “harassment, mental suffering, and financial loss”
- Assurance that such incidents won’t be repeated
She wrote:
“A geopolitical dispute was misdirected at a private Indian citizen. This should never happen.”
She added that despite living in the UK for years, she had kept her Indian passport because she “never wanted to be a foreigner in her own land”.
Consulate Intervention and Forced Return
Six Indian consulate officers reached the airport within an hour of receiving word. They tried to convince Chinese officials to let her travel onward to Japan, but authorities refused, insisting she travel only via “approved” Chinese carriers.
Prema eventually booked a flight to India with a stopover in Thailand, where she has temporarily stayed to work remotely.
Growing Concerns Over China’s Aggressive Stance
The incident comes at a time when:
- India-China military talks continue to inch forward.
- China is facing global criticism over arbitrary detentions and diplomatic coercion.
- India is strengthening partnerships with the US, Japan, ASEAN, and Europe.
Analysts warn that China may increasingly use civilian choke points—like airports—to push territorial propaganda.
