A UK-based Indian from Arunachal says she was detained at Shanghai Airport after Chinese officials called her Indian passport ‘invalid’ because her birthplace is Arunachal. India issued a strong demarche; China rejected harassment claims
A UK-based Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh, Prema Wangjom Thongdok, says she was detained for 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport on 21 November 2025 after Chinese officials. She has alleged that the Chinese officials called her Indian passport ‘invalid’ because of the birthplace was mentioned as Arunachal Pradesh. India has issued a strong demarche to China while the country rejected harassment claims and repeated its claim over Arunachal, saying ‘Chinese side has never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India’. The case has raised worries about transit rights and bilateral ties.
Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen originally from Rupa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh and now based in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on 21 November 2025. She had a three-hour transit at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Instead of a short layover, she says the transit became a long, distressing episode lasting about 18 hours.
According to Thongdok, Chinese immigration officials told her that her Indian passport was invalid because her birthplace entry read ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, which they said was Chinese territory. She said officials told her, ‘Arunachal is not part of India’ and even mocked her, suggesting she should apply for a Chinese passport. She added that her passport was confiscated for some time, she was kept in the transit area, had limited facilities, and was prevented from boarding her onward flight to Japan despite holding a valid visa.
China’s public reply
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, publicly denied that Chinese officials had detained or harassed the woman. Mao said China’s border inspection authorities followed laws and rules, they acted impartially, and no compulsory measures were taken. Mao also reiterated China’s long-standing territorial stance by referring to Arunachal as ‘Zangnan’ and saying it is part of China. The Chinese side asked reporters to refer further queries to the competent authorities. China’s response therefore combined a denial of wrongdoing with a restatement of its claim over the territory.
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India’s diplomatic protest and consular help
India reacted strongly on November after Prema Wangjom Thongdok’s allegations. Officials said a strong demarche (a formal diplomatic protest) was delivered to China in both Beijing and in New Delhi. India’s Consulate in Shanghai also intervened on the ground and provided assistance to Thongdok. New Delhi told Beijing that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory, and that its residents are fully entitled to travel on Indian passports. Indian sources said the Chinese actions could breach international civil aviation rules, including the Chicago and Montreal Conventions, which set standards for treatment of passengers and transit procedures.
Why the birthplace line sparked the problem
Passports show a person’s birthplace. For most travellers this is a routine detail. But in this case the passport listed Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state, and which China claims as ‘South Tibet’ or Zangnan. China has long refused to accept official Indian control of Arunachal, and its officials sometimes treat people from that state differently. For example, China has been criticised in the past for issuing stapled visas (rather than stamped visas) to people from Arunachal, which New Delhi called an affront to its sovereignty. Thongdok’s case suggests that the presence of Arunachal in passport data may trigger extra checks, and, in this incident, led to a full halt of her onward travel.
The legal and aviation angle in simple terms
Airports and airlines must follow both national law and international rules. The Chicago Convention and the Montreal Convention set standards on how states and carriers should treat passengers and handle transit. If a transit passenger holds a valid passport and visa, the rules usually allow the person to continue their journey or be assisted by their country’s consulate. India has argued that the treatment of Thongdok contravened these norms. China says its officers acted within domestic law. The clash is therefore partly legal: New Delhi stresses international norms and consular protection; Beijing stresses national border control and its position on Arunachal.
What the traveller says she experienced
In her public posts and interviews, Prema Wangjom Thongdok said she was singled out of the queue by an immigration officer. She says she was confined to the transit area for many hours with minimal explanation. She alleges the airline staff and some Chinese officers laughed and discussed Arunachal as being Chinese. She wrote that Indian embassy officials in Shanghai and Beijing later reached her, brought food, and helped resolve the matter so she could leave China. Thongdok has written to senior Indian leaders, including the Prime Minister, seeking action, accountability, and compensation for the humiliation she says she suffered.
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Response from Arunachal’s leaders and family
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the treatment as ‘appalling’ and ‘unacceptable’. He said the episode was humiliating and amounted to racial mockery. The chief minister urged India’s Ministry of External Affairs to act urgently so such incidents are not repeated. Thongdok’s mother called the episode a ‘harrowing ordeal’ but said her daughter was strong and did not buckle. The family also stressed that Thongdok lived in the UK for many years and travelled frequently without prior problems.
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The incident comes as both countries try to improve ties after recent tensions. Any action that affects citizens’ treatment can quickly become a diplomatic issue. Officials in New Delhi said such behaviour could hinder the ongoing process of restoring normal ties. China’s reiteration of its claim over Arunachal in its public denial will not help calm emotions in India. The episode therefore risks adding friction to diplomatic talks, even if both sides continue broader engagement on trade and security.
A pattern, not an isolated case
Prema Wangjom Thongdok’s case is not the first time travellers from Arunachal have faced problems at Chinese borders. Over many years, reports have recorded Chinese measures such as renaming places in Arunachal on maps, issuing stapled visas, or objecting to visits by Indian officials to the state. India has in the past lodged protests against such actions. That history helps explain why Thongdok’s case triggered strong reactions in India and among the people of Arunachal. Many in the state see these actions as repeated signs of disrespect for India’s sovereignty.
(With ANI inputs)