India updates Arunachal map; marks key 1962 war locations along China border ahead of BRICS Summit

New Delhi: India has updated its official map of Arunachal Pradesh, formally identifying several strategically and historically significant locations along the border with China. The revised Survey of India map includes border passes, lakes, settlements and war memorials associated with the India-China conflict.

Among the locations newly identified on the official map is Longju, a village currently under Chinese occupation but claimed by India. Longju was occupied by China in 1959, making it one of the locations associated with the events that preceded the 1962 India-China war. 

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The area around Longju has remained a source of tension for years. China has expanded its presence in the region through infrastructure development, including roads, bridges and facilities that can serve both civilian and military purposes. The developments have added to India's security concerns along the sensitive frontier.

According to the report, several other historically significant locations have also been formally named and placed on the Survey of India map. These include Thag La Pass in the Tawang sector, where Chinese troops advanced during the 1962 war, along with the Sher-e-Thapa and Jaswant Garh war memorials commemorating Indian soldiers.

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Other passes identified in the updated map include Dzo La, Riza La and Pukur La.

While these locations were already clearly represented on military maps, their inclusion in the official Survey of India map gives them formal recognition in the country's civilian cartographic record. An official release said the move is intended to facilitate accurate identification of the locations and improve public awareness about them. 

The development comes amid continuing sensitivities along the India-China boundary and follows repeated attempts by Beijing to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh. China has issued lists renaming locations in the state on multiple occasions, moves that New Delhi has rejected, maintaining that such exercises do not alter India's position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. 

The decision to formally identify these locations on the national map therefore carries significance beyond cartography. By bringing historically important border locations and areas of strategic relevance into the official public record, India is strengthening awareness of its frontier geography and the historical context surrounding the eastern sector of the India-China boundary.

With Arunachal Pradesh continuing to remain an important part of the wider India-China border equation, the updated map places renewed focus on locations that once played a role in the region's military history and continue to hold strategic relevance today.

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