An Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh has recounted a harrowing transit ordeal at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, claiming she was detained for over 18 hours with no food and only allowed to move between a small immigration desk and the toilet.
The traveller, Pema Wangjom Thongdok, said immigration staff declared her Indian passport “invalid” simply because it listed Arunachal Pradesh, a region claimed by China under the name “Zangnan” as her birthplace. She alleged officials mocked her, asking why she had not applied for a Chinese passport, and prevented her from boarding her onward flight to Japan despite possessing a valid visa.
Thongdok said she was forced to stay in a small transit area without any clear reason, basic amenities, or explanation. “They told me ‘Arunachal, it is China, not India’; they said my passport was invalid,” she recalled.
Her ordeal ended only after officials from the Indian consulate intervened late at night and facilitated her onward travel.
The incident has triggered a strong protest from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which demanded an explanation from China and emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh is an “integral and inalienable” part of India.
