Image source: topwar.ru
The state of Arunachal Pradesh, located in northeastern India, is an Indian territory and is recognized as such by the United States of America. The corresponding statement was made by the US State Department.
Earlier, the Chinese military command called Arunachal Pradesh "part of China." As you know, China has long-standing territorial claims against India in this part of South Asia. Beijing is convinced that at least part of the territory of Arunachal Pradesh is Chinese. China claims 90 thousand square kilometers in the Indian state, considering them part of the territories of Southern Tibet. Until recently, the Chinese authorities have continued to issue special visas to residents of the Indian state.
In 2023, a new map of the country was published in China, on which the territories of the Indian state were designated as the territory of the People's Republic of China, along with Taiwan and a number of other regions.
Image source: topwar.ru
Even earlier, in December 2022, in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh, there was a clash between Indian and Chinese border guards. Chinese military personnel appeared on the line of actual control, but were rebuffed by the Indian border guard.
The state of Arunachal Pradesh does have significant differences from the rest of India culturally. The main part of the state's population consists of the peoples of the Tibeto-Burmese language group, who profess Tibetan Buddhism. Ethnically, culturally, and religiously, they are much closer to the Tibetan peoples of neighboring China than to the majority of the Indian population. By the way, China also supports various nationalist and leftist movements operating in the northeastern part of India and causing a lot of problems to the Indian authorities.
Naturally, against the background of the Indian-Chinese territorial contradictions, the United States takes the side of New Delhi and acts against China's regional interests. As stated by the representative of the US State Department, Washington opposes "any invasion or encroachment" along the line of actual control. It is clear that it is in the interests of the United States to weaken China, so Washington will in any case support India in this territorial dispute.