India protests Shanghai detention of young Arunachal woman.
India’s foreign ministry swiftly delivered a strong protest to China in both Beijing and Delhi the same day.
The incident involving an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh being detained in Shanghai has triggered sharp diplomatic action from New Delhi, underscoring once again the long-standing tensions between India and China over the northeastern Indian state. The woman, who identified herself as Prema Wangjom Thongdok, shared her ordeal publicly on Monday, describing what she called an 18-hour stretch of humiliation, disbelief, and distress at the hands of Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai airport.
According to Thongdok, the ordeal began on November 21, 2025, when she arrived in Shanghai for a three-hour layover on her way to Japan. Despite holding a valid Indian passport and a valid Japanese visa, she alleged that immigration officers refused to let her proceed. a state that China claims as its own territory.
Writing on X, she recounted how airport officials and China Eastern Airlines staff seemed united in their refusal to allow her to board the onward flight. “I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs… They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory,” she posted, adding that she felt deeply humiliated by their conduct.
Thongdok, who currently lives in the United Kingdom, said the officials even went so far as to suggest she apply for a Chinese passport, insisting that since they considered Arunachal Pradesh to be part of China, she could not travel internationally using an Indian one. She described the tone of the officials as mocking and dismissive, and said that both immigration and airline staff spoke to her in ways that left her shaken and deeply insulted.
Her situation only began to shift after she reached out to the Indian embassies in both Shanghai and Beijing. She said she made multiple calls seeking help, and within an hour of contacting the missions, Indian officials arrived at the airport. They spoke to the immigration authorities, arranged food for her after long hours without assistance, and pushed for an explanation on why she was being blocked from her onward travel.
“It was a very humiliating, questionable behaviour from the immigration staff as well as the airline staff,” she said in her account. “But once the Indian officials arrived, they helped sort the issues, spoke directly with the staff, and ensured I could leave the country. It was a very long ordeal, 18 hours, but I’m glad I’m safely out of there.”
Her account sparked immediate concern in India, particularly because this was not just an inconvenience or bureaucratic error — it touched directly on a sensitive geopolitical issue. China has, for years, claimed Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, referring to it as “South Tibet,” a claim India firmly rejects. New Delhi maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, and has consistently pushed back against any attempt by Beijing to challenge this reality, whether diplomatically, politically, or through administrative actions related to visas and travel.
This time too, India reacted swiftly. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a strong demarche — a formal diplomatic protest — to the Chinese authorities in both Beijing and New Delhi on the very day the incident occurred. The demarche expressed India’s deep concern over the treatment of an Indian citizen, emphasized the validity of Indian passports issued in Arunachal Pradesh, and reiterated that China’s position on the state has no bearing on the rights or identity of Indian nationals.
The ministry also conveyed that detaining a traveler for hours, subjecting her to ridicule, and obstructing her onward journey despite holding proper documentation was unacceptable. The message underscored that such actions harm people-to-people interactions and add unnecessary strain to an already delicate relationship.
As Thongdok’s story circulated online, it drew widespread attention, generating support for her and criticism of the treatment she received. Many commentators highlighted how individuals from Arunachal Pradesh have often faced complications when transiting through China due to Beijing’s political stance — but this incident, with its detailed public account, has pushed the issue into sharper global focus.
While Thongdok is now safe and has resumed her travel plans, her experience has added yet another layer to the complex and often contentious interactions between the two Asian giants. And for many in India, the episode serves as a reminder of why New Delhi continues to assert, without hesitation, the identity and dignity of every Indian citizen — no matter where they are from.