Indian Woman from Arunachal Pradesh Detained at Shanghai Airport: A Diplomatic Standoff Between India and China

Thongdok characterized the Shanghai incident as a direct affront to India's sovereignty.

New Delhi:

The Arunachal Pradesh woman who experienced harassment in China has responded to critics following the Shanghai airport incident. She emphasized that any action taken by the Indian government benefits all Indians collectively, not just herself, highlighting a sense of national unity among all Indian citizens.

Pema Wang Thongdok reported being detained for 18 hours at Shanghai airport during what should have been a brief three-hour layover while traveling from London to Japan on November 21. She alleged that immigration officials refused to recognize her Indian passport, claiming that her birthplace, Arunachal Pradesh, was "part of China."

Yesterday evening, she shared a post expressing gratitude to her supporters, which also addressed those who had allegedly trolled her regarding the Shanghai episode.

"I would like to thank everyone speaking in support of this diplomatic issue, and while I'm new here and not active on X, it's because I have a very high-profile full-time position working in the financial services and don't have idle time to answer trollers," Thongdok wrote on X.

Read: "Ludicrous, Unacceptable": Government Sources On Woman's Shanghai Airport Ordeal

The woman stated that those who understand her message are the right people, and she wouldn't engage with those who don't comprehend the situation.

She emphasized that Indians should remain united and support one another. "I don't even live in India so any action that Indian govt takes will be for the benefit & pride of my fellow Indians and Arunachalis living here, not mine. We are one nation we stand for one another," she added.

What Happened In Shanghai

Thongdok described the Shanghai incident as a "direct insult to India's sovereignty".

She explained that Chinese officials deemed her Indian passport "invalid" upon noticing Arunachal Pradesh listed as her birthplace. At the immigration desk, she was told her passport was not valid because she was "born in Arunachal Pradesh."

They seized her passport and prevented her from boarding her connecting flight to Japan despite her having a valid Japanese visa. She claimed that officers and China Eastern Airlines mocked her and even suggested she should "apply for a Chinese passport."

Furthermore, she was denied access to food and other airport facilities. Thongdok was unable to rebook her tickets and had to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK. She finally resumed her journey late that night.

The Indian government yesterday reaffirmed its sovereignty over Arunachal and rejected Beijing's claims on the northeastern state. "Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and this is a self-evidence fact. No amount of denial by the Chinese side is going to change this indisputable reality," stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

India has lodged a strong protest with China both in Beijing and New Delhi, he confirmed.