India has issued a “strong demarche” to China after a woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harassed and stopped by Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai airport on November 21. The officials mocked her and told her to “apply for a Chinese passport.” Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that at a time when both sides are working to improve ties, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process. Prema Thongdok, a principal regulatory consultant working in financial services in London, told The Hindu that she was detained at the Shanghai airport for 18 hours, and immigration and airlines staff were “unprofessional and rude”, they laughed and mocked calling Arunachal Pradesh a Chinese territory. Sources in MEA said that a strong demarche was made with the Chinese side, in Beijing and in Delhi, on the day of the incident and the Indian consulate in Shanghai took up the matter locally and extended assistance to the stranded passenger.
Published: November 24, 2025 5:28 pm
Source: The Hindu — Read original