Key facts
- Nah tribe alleges Chinese PLA occupation of ancestral land in Arunachal Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh government to probe the land-grab claims
- Kiren Rijiju says India is catching up on border infrastructure
- China claims all of Arunachal Pradesh as 'South Tibet'
The Nah tribe of Arunachal Pradesh has alleged that Chinese People's Liberation Army forces have occupied their ancestral land, prompting the state government to announce a probe into the claims and drawing a response from Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who said India is actively catching up on border infrastructure in the region.
Rijiju, who holds the Earth Sciences portfolio and has previously served as Minister of State for Home Affairs with responsibility for the Northeast, did not dispute the broader concern but framed the government's position around its infrastructure push along the Line of Actual Control. His remarks indicate the Centre is aware of the pressures on India's northeastern frontier and is responding through accelerated construction of roads, bridges and other strategic facilities.
Arunachal Pradesh is claimed in its entirety by China, which refers to the territory as 'South Tibet' — a position firmly rejected by India. Allegations of incremental Chinese encroachment in remote border areas are not new, but claims by local tribal communities lend a ground-level human dimension to the boundary dispute that goes beyond satellite imagery and official diplomatic exchanges.
The state government's decision to probe the Nah tribe's allegations is significant. If verified, it would represent a serious escalation in China's assertive boundary behaviour, echoing earlier incidents in Doklam and the Galwan Valley. The coming weeks will be closely watched to see what the Arunachal investigation concludes and how New Delhi chooses to respond diplomatically and militarily.