India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest after one of its citizens was subjected to an 18-hour detention at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The individual, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh based in the UK, was reportedly told her passport was invalid by Chinese immigration officials. Their justification was that Arunachal Pradesh is considered Chinese territory, thus rendering an Indian passport listing it as a birthplace unacceptable. Thongdok described a distressing experience involving alleged mockery, denial of food, and restricted communication due to China’s internet policies. She was also prevented from boarding her connecting flight to Japan. Indian consular officials were eventually called to the airport and assisted in resolving the situation, allowing Thongdok to depart for Thailand. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has called the grounds for detention ‘ludicrous’ and a clear violation of international norms, reaffirming Arunachal Pradesh’s status as Indian territory.
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