The incident that occurred at the Shanghai Pudong Airports which has brought more tension in the diplomatic relations between India and China than before. This happened when a woman named Pema Wangjom Thongdok was detained by Chinese authorities at the airport. She had stayed in London before heading to Japan where she was supposed to stay for a few days. She was held for 18 hours because, as per the Chinese immigration officers, they did not believe her passport was Indian and that Arunachal Pradesh being her place of birth was the reason for it.
This ordeal with no fault of her own is a clear manifestation of the constant dispute on territorial ownership that has been characteristic of the relationship between the two countries for quite some time now. Please note that China regards Arunachal Pradesh as one of its territories, naming it South Tibet, but the Indian government stands firmly on saying that it is their land. The situation became worse when the authorities started making fun of Thongdok and urging her to get a Chinese passport and also refused to provide her with food and other basic needs.
Diplomatic Response
In response to the Beijing and New Delhi platforms, India issued a very strong public protest to China very quickly. Based on the latest government sources, the position remained unchanged that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of India and the residents are entitled to Indian passports and are free to travel across the country. The necessary intervention was provided by the Indian Consulate in Shanghai for Thongdok, resulting in her eventual release and safe journey onwards.
As per the Indian authorities, the incident has been looked down upon due to the fact that it violates the international civil aviation norms, as per the Chicago and Montreal Conventions. The whole thing was really seen as an obstacle to the bilateral political freeze that followed past border conflicts.
@pemakhandu @kirenrijuju @PMOIndia I was held at Shanghai airport for over 18 hrs on 21st Nov, 2025 on claims by China immigration & @chinaeasternair They called my Indian passport invalid as my birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh which they claimed is Chinese territory. @cnnbrk
— Pem Wang Thongdok (@wang_pem) November 23, 2025
The Fate of Thongdok
Not only had Thongdok a horrible experience and she was also asked to bear the financial burden of it. Being in the transition area without any definite reasons and never having the chance to get limited facilities were also part of the hardship Thongdok underwent. Her passport got taken away, and, even though she still had a valid visa, she lost her chance to get on the flight to Japan. Thongdok called what happened to her an outrageous act of being harassed and nudged around like a pawn in a political game just because she was a common person.
Her situation has once again raised a red light about China’s attitude towards people from Arunachal Pradesh. In this respect, China has been giving people from Arunachal Pradesh stapled visas instead of stamped visas which is something India is adamant against. Moreover, this way of issuing visas has made India register its objections a number of times in a diplomatic manner.
Public Opinion
Public outrage and suspicion of extended territorial demands from China on an international scale have resulted in the unfortunate incident. The mother of Thongdok, who was still vexed by the undesired aggression she underwent, was pleased at her daughter’s resistance capacity.
Thongdok has contacted the Indian leaders and requested a tough response from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Chinese side with the demand for compensation for her suffering and lost money. Her story is a testament to the ongoing struggle for the ownership of Arunachal Pradesh, and it validates the urgency of resolving the matter through diplomatic measures.
Repercussions on the Country’s Relationship with China
This event occurred at a very critical moment for the relations between India and China. The relationship between the two countries was getting back to normal after they had military conflicts on the disputed border in 2020. The arrest at the airport in Shanghai might be a big step back in these efforts. Even though both countries have been trying to get back to good terms things like this just make matters worse.
There is a constant reference to these episodes as the root cause of the diplomatic relationship strains which in turn further emphasizes the significance of adhering to international norms and agreements. This is particularly tough for the people of areas like Arunachal Pradesh, as the incidence is a stark reality check of the geopolitical intricacies that are capable of insidiously interfering with human lives at international points of transit.
The experience of Pema Wangjom Thongdok in Shanghai Pudong Airport does not represent a single occurrence only, but it indicates larger territorial differences between China and India. India’s quick reaction from the diplomatic side shows the significance of the issue is taken as very serious, thus emphasizing both nations’ requirement to have a positive dialogue for preventing the occurrence of the similar situations in future.
