India Officially Identifies 27 Places in Arunachal Pradesh on Official Map Amid China Renaming Attempts
New Delhi, August 8, 2026: In a decisive move to counter frequent Chinese attempts to assign “fictitious names” to Indian territory, the Union Home Ministry on Friday (August 7, 2026) formally identified 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names on the official Survey of India map.
The step is aimed at ensuring accurate recognition and greater public awareness of these locations in the border state. The 27 sites include villages, high-altitude mountain passes, a lake, and a war memorial, many of which hold strategic and historical importance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Among the key locations now clearly marked is Long Ju, situated along the LAC. This site was one of the earliest flashpoints between India and China in 1959 when Chinese forces entered the area. Nearby Maja village in Upper Subansiri district has also been identified.
The list further includes the strategically vital Bisa village, high-altitude passes such as Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La, and the historically significant Thag La — where one of the opening battles of the 1962 war took place. Jairampur in Changlang district, a critical logistics hub and gateway supporting security force movements towards eastern Arunachal and the Myanmar frontier, is also formally marked.
Other sites include Sambho Sarovar (a high-altitude lake), Bara Kundun and Chhota Kundun in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, Dhan Bari, Pritnagar, Teritnagar, Ramnagar, and Jaswant Garh, which houses the memorial of Indian martyr Jaswant Singh Rawat on the Tawang Road. Villages such as Sagar, Padma, Jyotinagar and Baisakhi, the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial commemorating 1962 war hero Trilok Singh Thapa, Chhota Ropuk and Bara Ropuk, Shivaji Nagar, Sunpura, Kamlang Nagar near the Kamlang sanctuary, and Buddhamandir complete the list.
India has consistently rejected China’s efforts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, stating that such attempts to create “baseless narratives” cannot alter the “undeniable reality” of Indian sovereignty and risk undermining efforts to normalise bilateral ties.
By placing these 27 locations firmly on the official Indian map, New Delhi has reinforced its territorial claims and provided a clear reference for the public, administration, and security forces operating in the sensitive border region of Arunachal Pradesh.
