India on Tuesday reaffirmed that Ladakh is an integral part of the country, asserting that China’s objections cannot change this fact. The response came after Beijing criticised New Delhi’s decision to standardise the names of 28 geographical features in the Union Territory.

“UT of Ladakh is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of denial by the Chinese side can change this fact,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Responding to media queries on China’s remarks, Jaiswal defended the move to identify the geographical features on the official Survey of India map. He said the Union home ministry’s announcement was “self-explanatory”.

On October 2, the home ministry announced that it had identified 28 places and geographical features in Ladakh using standard names on the official Survey of India map. The exercise was conducted in consultation with the Union Territory administration and local stakeholders.

Jaiswal said the initiative aims to ensure accurate recognition of these locations and raise public awareness about them.

China objected to the move on Tuesday, claiming it had never recognised the “so-called” Union Territory of Ladakh. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described India’s decision to publish standardised names as “illegal and invalid”.

Mao said the move could not alter what Beijing considers the status of the western section of the China-India border. China claims territory in the region, while India maintains that Ladakh is an integral part of the country.

The 28 identified geographical features include 10 peaks, two passes, three mountains, seven land areas, two glaciers, two water bodies, one valley and one river.

The development comes amid continued disagreements over geographical names along the disputed border. China has also announced standardised names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls “South Tibet”. India has repeatedly rejected these claims, maintaining that assigning names to places does not change their territorial status.

India and China have been working to normalise bilateral ties following the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which began in 2020 and continued for more than four years. Both countries have held talks to address their longstanding border dispute.