A woman from Arunachal Pradesh has accused Chinese authorities of detaining and harassing her at Shanghai Pudong Airport, claiming her Indian passport was refused recognition during a transit halt. The incident occurred on November 21, 2025, while Pema Wang Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan with a three-hour layover in Shanghai.
Alleged detention and denial of citizenship
In a series of posts on the microblogging platform X, Thongdok said immigration officers at Shanghai airport detained her for over 18 hours, claiming her Indian passport was “invalid” because her birthplace, Arunachal Pradesh, is allegedly Chinese territory. Officials reportedly told her, “Arunachal Pradesh is part of China”, and refused to recognise her Indian citizenship.
She added that her passport was confiscated, and she was denied access to airport facilities, food, and updates on her status, preventing her from boarding her scheduled flight to Japan despite possessing a valid visa. Multiple immigration officers and China Eastern Airlines staff allegedly mocked and scorned her, even suggesting she apply for a Chinese passport.
Thongdok said she was forced to buy a new ticket exclusively on China Eastern Airlines, causing financial losses from missed flights and hotel bookings. Confined to the airport’s transit area and unable to rebook tickets freely, she eventually contacted the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK. With consular intervention, she was finally allowed to leave the airport late at night and continue her journey.
Appeal to Indian authorities
Calling the incident a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty”, Thongdok appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian authorities to raise the matter with Beijing. She urged the Indian government to ensure accountability, seek compensation, and protect citizens from Arunachal Pradesh from similar discrimination while travelling abroad.
Diplomatic context
The episode highlights ongoing tensions between New Delhi and Beijing, particularly regarding China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as “Zangnan” or southern Tibet. India has repeatedly rejected these claims.
In May 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that China’s attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh were “vain and preposterous” and reaffirmed that the state “was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”
The incident has triggered strong reactions among Indian citizens and in diplomatic circles, underlining the sensitive situation faced by residents of Arunachal Pradesh in international travel contexts.