India's Ministry of External Affairs has formally protested China's practice of assigning fabricated names to locations within Indian territory, calling the move "mischievous" and warning that it undermines ongoing efforts to normalise relations between the two countries. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that such actions cannot change the reality that disputed areas, including Arunachal Pradesh (a northeastern Indian state that China claims as part of its own territory, referring to it as "South Tibet"), remain an integral part of India. The protest signals continued friction between the two neighbours despite recent diplomatic and military steps toward de-escalation along their shared border.