US Senate committee passes resolution recognising Arunchal Pradesh as integral part of India

A United States Congressional Committee passed a resolution recognising Arunchal Pradesh as an integral part of India on Thursday. The resolution was passed by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his trip to America. The resolution, introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen, reaffirms that the much-contested McMohan Line is the international boundary between the People’s Republic of China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It pushes back against Chinese claims that large portions of Arunachal Pradesh are PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies, a media statement said. The resolution will now go for full vote on the Senate floor. “America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world – especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision,” said Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China. Importance of the resolution The formal acceptance of Arunchal Pradesh as part of India’s territory by the US gives legitimacy to Washington’s support for New Delhi as China’s claims in the region become stronger. In addition to this, the resolution extends backing from powerful American political actors from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Senator Merkley said, “Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the US views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India—not the People’s Republic of China (PRC) — and commits the US to deepening support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners.” “American values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Bill Hagerty said, “At a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for the US to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our strategic partners in the region — especially India and other Quad countries — and push back against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party)’s broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific,” With inputs from agencies