As India navigates heightened tensions with Pakistan, a more insidious challenge emerges from its eastern flank. China, in a brazen act of cartographic aggression, has renamed 27 places in Arunachal Pradesh, labeling them part of “Zangnan” — its fabricated term for the so-called “southern Tibet.” Simultaneously, Bangladesh, under the unelected and polarizing leadership of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has provocatively referred to India’s northeastern states as the “Seven Sisters,” describing them as “landlocked” and pushing for a “regional plan” that implicitly questions their integration with India. These uncalled-for actions, unfolding amid the India-Pakistan conflict, form a coordinated pincer movement to undermine India’s sovereignty — a strategy chillingly reminiscent of China’s occupation of Tibet.
China’s Renaming Gambit: A Playbook from Tibet
China’s latest attempt to rename mountains, rivers, and inhabited areas in Arunachal Pradesh is not a mere bureaucratic exercise; it is a calculated assault on India’s territorial integrity. This tactic mirrors the Sinicization campaign unleashed on Tibet after its illegal occupation in 1950. Tibetan towns, monasteries, and rivers were stripped of their indigenous names and replaced with Mandarin terms to erase cultural identity and assert dominance. Lhasa, the spiritual heart of Tibet, is now a militarized outpost overshadowed by the imposed label “Xizang.” By renaming Arunachal’s places, China seeks to lay the groundwork for a similar narrative of control, using maps and toponyms as weapons.
India has responded with unmistakable clarity. The Ministry of External Affairs declared: “Arunachal Pradesh is, was, and will always be an inalienable part of India. Invented names do not alter this reality.” External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, addressing China’s claims, sharply noted: “Renaming your house doesn’t make it mine.” These strongly worded statements reflect India’s resolve to counter China’s semantic aggression, especially as it coincides with the ongoing India-Pakistan border tensions.
Bangladesh’s Dangerous Rhetoric: Echoing China’s Separatist Narrative
Adding to the pressure, Bangladesh’s interim leader, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has adopted a troubling stance. During a March 2025 visit to China, Yunus described India’s northeastern states — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland — as the “Seven Sisters,” a term that, in this context, carries separatist undertones. He called them “landlocked” and dependent on Bangladesh, proposing a “regional framework” involving Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and these states. This rhetoric, delivered in Beijing’s shadow, aligns disturbingly with China’s efforts to question India’s unity.
Yunus’s statements are not neutral. They amplify China’s narrative at a time when India is preoccupied with Pakistan. By framing the northeastern states as distinct and detachable, Bangladesh risks fueling separatist sentiments, a move that dovetails with China’s renaming of Arunachal’s places. This coordinated pressure is no coincidence — it is a strategic escalation, with China’s growing economic influence in Dhaka casting a long shadow over Bangladesh’s posturing.
Protests and Resolve: Arunachal Stands Firm
The people of Arunachal Pradesh have responded with fierce defiance. In Hawai, Anjaw district, protestors waved the Indian tricolour, chanting: “It’s 2025, not 1962. Arunachal is India, not China!” These demonstrations underscore a collective rejection of China’s claims and a reminder that Arunachal’s identity is non-negotiable. The protests also reflect a broader national sentiment: India will not be cowed by external pressures, whether from China’s maps or Bangladesh’s rhetoric.
A Pattern of Aggression: From Tibet to Arunachal
China’s renaming of Arunachal’s places is part of a broader pattern of territorial overreach. The occupation of Tibet set the precedent: dispute, rename, claim, occupy. This playbook has been deployed in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and now threatens Taiwan. Arunachal Pradesh is the latest target, with Bangladesh’s rhetoric providing an alarming assist. The timing — amid India’s focus on Pakistan — is deliberate, aiming to exploit India’s divided attention.
Tibet’s fate serves as a stark warning. Once a sovereign nation, it was absorbed through military force and cultural erasure, with the world gradually adopting Beijing’s terminology. India’s northeastern states, particularly Arunachal, face a similar threat through softer but no less dangerous means. Allowing China’s names or Bangladesh’s separatist framing to gain traction risks normalizing these assaults on sovereignty.
India’s Unyielding Stand
India’s response has been resolute. Beyond diplomatic rebukes, New Delhi has strengthened its military presence in Arunachal, with advanced infrastructure and troop deployments signaling readiness. The government’s rejection of Bangladesh’s rhetoric has been equally firm, with officials emphasizing the inviolability of India’s northeastern states. These actions, coupled with public outrage, demonstrate that India will not repeat the world’s complacency during Tibet’s fall.
Conclusion: Names, Narratives, and National Unity
Names carry power. China’s renaming of Arunachal’s places and Bangladesh’s provocative labeling of the Seven Sisters are not benign; they are deliberate attempts to reshape narratives and erode India’s unity. The echoes of Tibet’s tragedy are unmistakable, but India is not Tibet, and 2025 is not 1950. With strongly worded statements, robust defenses, and unwavering public resolve, India stands tall against this dual assault. Arunachal Pradesh is India. The Seven Sisters are India. And no amount of renaming or rhetoric will change that truth.