 "This Week in Explainers: How Arunachal woman’s detention sparked diplomatic spat between India and China")
India’s border dispute with China was in focus again this week as an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh, who is living in the United Kingdom, alleged “harassment” at the Shanghai airport. The incident has caused a diplomatic spat between the two Asian neighbours.
India has lost one of its biggest stars as Dharmendra, known for his effortless charm, took his last breath. The Bollywood icon, famous as the “He-Man” of Indian cinema, once tried his luck in politics, but only for a short while.
A volcanic eruption in northern Ethiopia raised fears in parts of India as the ash cloud took over the Indian skies. India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had to also ask all airlines to avoid areas affected by the volcanic ash.
Here’s all this and more in our weekly wrap from India.
1. A major diplomatic row erupted between India and China after Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian woman living in the UK, said she was “harassed” by Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. She alleged she was detained for 18 hours by immigration officials while travelling from London to Japan via Shanghai after they refused to accept her Indian passport, which mentions Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth.
One of the Chinese officials reportedly told her, ‘Arunachal Pradesh is part of China’ and she was told her passport was “invalid”. Her ordeal ended after she contacted the Indian Consulate in Shanghai, and the officials helped secure her release. As the incident came to light, New Delhi lodged a strong diplomatic protest with China and asserted its stance that Arunachal is an “inalienable” part of India. But why does Beijing claim the Indian state? We explain.
Quick Reads
View All2. India lost a gem of an actor as Dharmendra died at the age of 89 earlier this week. The superstar, known for films like Sholay and Pratigya, once took a plunge into politics, only to be disenchanted soon. Inspired by the “India Shining” campaign, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the 2004 Lok Sabha election.
He won the polls from Bikaner but faced criticism for limited public engagement and poor attendance in Parliament. After his five-year term, Dharmendra realised he was not made for politics. Read our story on the action hero’s brief political journey.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Vikram-I, India’s first private orbital rocket, this week. Built by Indian space startup Skyroot, it is a multi-stage launch vehicle named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the country’s space programme.
Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Modiji unveiled Skyroot’s Vikram-1 flight rocket at the new Infinity campus — a milestone that marks India’s bold emergence in the new-space era. The upcoming inaugural launch will not only demonstrate the nation’s private-sector launch capability… pic.twitter.com/kNAlHAStz3
— Dr. S Somanath (@SomanathSpeak) November 27, 2025
The Vikram-I, which is as tall as a seven-storey building, can place payloads of around 300 kilogrammes in low earth orbit. The Hyderabad-based space start-up has claimed that the rocket can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site. We explain what makes India’s first private rocket special.
4. Dormant for 12,000 years, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region of Ethiopia erupted over the weekend, sending ash plumes up to 14 km high. The volcanic ash crossed the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman, later travelling to parts of Pakistan and northern India.
Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Modiji unveiled Skyroot’s Vikram-1 flight rocket at the new Infinity campus — a milestone that marks India’s bold emergence in the new-space era. The upcoming inaugural launch will not only demonstrate the nation’s private-sector launch capability… pic.twitter.com/kNAlHAStz3
— Dr. S Somanath (@SomanathSpeak) November 27, 2025
When a volcano erupts, it can release dangerous particles like volcanic gases and ash into the air. Volcanic ash consists of pieces of broken rock, minerals and volcanic glass. As the ash cloud from the volcano in Ethiopia entered India, concerns were raised about its impact on human health and air quality. We explain how dangerous a volcanic eruption can be.
5. The valour of 19 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel came to light after they were recently honoured for their “exceptional bravery” during Operation Sindoor. In May, India had launched military strikes on nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan had retaliated by launching strikes and drone attacks on India’s border regions.
CISF Personnel Honoured With The DG’s Disc For Exceptional Bravery During Operation Sindoor
— CISF (@CISFHQrs) November 25, 2025
Amid intense cross-border shelling in May 2025, CISF teams at Uri Hydro Electric Projects displayed extraordinary courage, safeguarding vital national assets and evacuating 250 civilians… pic.twitter.com/NPd0KkHaVp
These 19 CISF personnel thwarted Pakistan’s attack on hydroelectric projects at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla during the clashes between the two countries. They shot down the drones targeting the installation and evacuated civilians amid heavy shelling from Pakistan. Here’s how the CISF foiled Pakistan’s attack.
6. Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Afshan made headlines as the nation mourned her husband Wing Commander Namansh Syal’s untimely demise along with her. The IAF officer lost his life as his Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Air Show last week.
Wing Commander Syal’s mortal remains were brought to his ancestral village in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, where his last rites were conducted with full military honours. A video of his grieving wife giving him a heartbreaking tribute went viral. But who is Wing Commander Afshan? Read her story here.
7. An Indian-American diplomat created a stir by alleging large-scale and organised fraud in the H-1B visa programme. H-1B work visas have come under scrutiny in recent months since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January this year.
Mahvash Siddiqui, who worked at the US consulate in Chennai between 2005 and 2007, has claimed that several H-1B visas issued to Indians were secured through fraudulent means. Former US Representative and economist Dr Dave Brat has backed her claims, alleging that the numbers reported by certain consulates don’t add up, hinting at an “industrial-scale fraud” in the visa allocations. Read our story to know more.
8. Udaipur recently hosted an extravagant wedding ceremony. Bollywood stars and global VIPs turned up as Netra Mantena, daughter of US-based pharma billionaire Rama Raju Mantena, tied the knot with New York tech entrepreneur Vamsi Gadiraju.
US President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, and his girlfriend, Bettina Anderson, were among the guests at the lavish wedding. Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh, Janhvi Kapoor and Kriti Sanon were among the A-listers who performed at the wedding ceremonies. Jennifer Lopez flew to Udaipur for an electrifying performance, her first-ever in India. But what do we know about the couple? Read here.
This is all we have for you this week. If you like our analyses of the daily news developments, you can bookmark this page.
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