NEW DELHI, Nov 25: India has issued a strong diplomatic demarche to China after an Arunachal Pradesh woman, Pem Wangjom (Prema) Thongdok, was allegedly detained and harassed for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, where Chinese immigration officials refused to recognise her Indian passport and claimed “Arunachal is part of China.”
Thongdok, who resides in the UK, was transiting through Shanghai on November 21 during a London–Japan journey when she was stopped shortly after clearing immigration. She alleged that officials shouted her name, pulled her aside, and declared her passport invalid because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth. “They told me, ‘Arunachal is part of China. Your passport is invalid,’” she said.
Her passport was withheld, she was denied boarding despite a valid Japanese visa, and she was not allowed to buy food, rebook tickets, or move between terminals. Thongdok claimed immigration staff and China Eastern Airlines workers mocked her, advised her to “get a Chinese passport,” and pressured her to buy a fresh ticket only on China Eastern, resulting in major financial losses.
Unable to seek help at the airport, she eventually contacted the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend. Indian officials intervened, recovered her passport, and facilitated her departure on a late-night flight.
The Government of India firmly reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and residents of the state are fully entitled to hold and travel on Indian passports.
