External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Saturday once again strongly deplored China’s claims on the state of Arunachal Pradesh, stressing that the north-eastern state is part of India.

While referring to Beijing’s claims as “ludicrous”, the EAM said that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of India because it is a part of the country, and not only because a foreign country says so.

The EAM is in Singapore as part of his three-nation visit, and was addressing the Institute of South Asian Studies of National University of Singapore on his book ‘Why Bharat Matters’.

“So, I think we have been very clear, very consistent on this. And this is something that will be part of the boundary discussion which are taking place,” he added.

Recently, China again came up with its claim over the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Terming the Indian State as “Zangan- an inherent part of China’s territory,” the Chinese Defence Ministry said that Beijing “never acknowledges and firmly opposes” the “so- called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India.”

The Ministry of External Affairs, in an official statement, noted that the people of Arunachal Pradesh will “continue to benefit” from India’s development programmes and infrastructure projects.

Following this, India once again rejected the “absurd claims” and “baseless arguments” while asserting that the northeastern state is an “integral and inalienable part of India.”

(ANI)