India and China restate opposing claims over Ladakh

India and China have restated opposing claims over Ladakh after India formally named 28 locations and geographical features in the Union Territory and added their standardized names to official maps. The exchange reflects the two governments’ conflicting positions on sovereignty in the western sector of their boundary; the claims remain unresolved in the material available. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India and that China’s denial would not change India’s position. He was responding to questions about Beijing’s objections to the naming announcement. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China does not recognize the Union Territory of Ladakh and opposed India’s standardized names. She asserted that the relevant areas in the western sector of the China-India boundary belong to China and described India’s action as illegal and invalid. India formally identified the 28 locations on October 2, following consultation with the Ladakh administration, and included the names on Survey of India maps.