On 21 November 2025, Ms Pema Wangjom Thongdok of Arunachal Pradesh was travelling from London to Japan with a layover in Shanghai. At the Pudong Airport transit zone, Chinese immigration officials declared her Indian passport “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth, firmly claiming “Arunachal is part of China.”

Her ordeal, lasting nearly 18 hours, was not a mere administrative glitch; it was a sharp reminder of the geopolitical tensions that loom large over India’s northeastern border state. A citizen embarking on an innocent international journey was detained in transit because her identity, tied to Arunachal, was treated as controversial. The message was clear: for China, visas are more than travel permits; they are instruments of territorial assertion.

This incident is the latest in a troubling arc of similar episodes. For years, residents from Arunachal Pradesh have faced stapled visas, refusals, and delays when dealing with Chinese authorities. What was once an entry-level barrier has now spread into transit rights and global travel mobility. By refusing to recognise a valid Indian passport simply because it lists Arunachal, China is engaging in a form of citizenship discrimination rooted in its claim over the region.

This is not about travel discomfort. It is about sovereignty- India’s claim over Arunachal, reflected in every passport, every traveller, every citizen. When transit rights are undermined, it signals that Beijing is willing to apply its territorial argument beyond the Himalayas, into airports, lanes and global mobility systems.

India’s response has been proper: a diplomatic demarche was lodged, the consulate intervened, and the woman was finally allowed to continue her journey. Yet formal protests alone will not suffice. The pattern demands strategic redress. India must treat these discriminatory acts as part of the larger territorial contest, not as isolated consular incidents.

For Arunachal Pradesh, the implications are profound. The state already navigates issues of connectivity, development and national integration. Now, its citizens face a unique form of mobility disadvantage, where one’s place of birth can become a barrier to travel. This deepens disenfranchisement and raises valid questions about equality of citizenship in practice on the global stage.

As early as 2011, India’s Ministry of External Affairs reported that several residents of Arunachal Pradesh were issued stapled visas by the Chinese Embassy instead of regular visas. Stapled visas are printed on loose sheets, not affixed to passports, allowing China to avoid “acknowledging” Arunachal as part of India. India rejected these visas as invalid, preventing the individuals from travelling. Similar discriminatory visa practices have continued sporadically over the years.

In 2023, three Wushu athletes from Arunachal Pradesh were barred from participating in the Asian Games in Hangzhou after China issued them stapled visas. India protested strongly, calling the move “unacceptable” and withdrew its entire Wushu contingent in solidarity.

The Shanghai incident represents a worrying expansion from entry visas to international transit mobility. Even Indians flying from one foreign country to another, not seeking to enter China, may now face interrogation and detention if their documents reflect Arunachal Pradesh.

Such extraterritorial interference directly contradicts international aviation norms governing transit passengers.

India must elevate this issue. It must insist on uniform visa treatment for all Indian citizens. It must document and publicise all such incidents. It must engage international aviation and human rights bodies. It must treat Arunachal’s citizens’ rights as non-negotiable.

Ms Thongdok’s ordeal may have ended late that night, but the message she received lingers: your birthplace, your region of India, can determine your freedom to travel. That is unacceptable. For Arunachal. For India. It is time to respond firmly because respect for sovereignty and respect for its citizens go hand in hand.