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

Nov 26, 2025 10:27 am CST

An Arunachal Pradesh woman, Pema Wang Thongdok, faced an 18-hour detention at Shanghai airport when Chinese officials refused to recognize her Indian passport, claiming her birthplace was "part of China." This incident has escalated into a diplomatic issue, with India firmly asserting its sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh and lodging formal protests with China in both Beijing and New Delhi.