India Issues Strong Protest After Arunachal-Born Woman Detained 18 Hours at Shanghai Airport Over Passport Row

India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with China after a woman originally from Arunachal Pradesh was detained and prevented from boarding her connecting flight during a transit at Shanghai Pudong Airport. The incident has triggered sharp criticism from New Delhi, which called the detention “ludicrous” and a violation of international aviation norms.

The Incident

The woman, Prema Thongdok, a UK-based financial adviser in her 30s, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21, with a scheduled three-hour layover in Shanghai. But the transit turned into an 18-hour ordeal after airport authorities claimed her Indian passport was “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth.

China unilaterally claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, despite India firmly rejecting this claim.

Prema said she was singled out at the security gate, pulled out of the queue, and told that her passport was not acceptable because it mentioned Arunachal Pradesh. She added that officials insisted that she was “Chinese” and should “get a Chinese passport”.

Harassment and Detention

During the 18-hour detention:

• Her passport was confiscated
• She was denied access to food, information, and internet (Google is blocked in China)
• She was not allowed to proceed to Japan despite holding a valid visa
• Officials pressured her to fly only with China Eastern Airlines
• She was told to either return to the UK or fly to India

She described the treatment as mockery and harassment, calling it “deeply distressing”.

Indian Consulate Steps In

After she managed to contact friends in the UK, they notified the Indian Consulate in Shanghai, which reacted immediately.

Within an hour:

• Six Indian consulate officials arrived
• They provided her with food
• They intervened with Chinese authorities

Despite their efforts, China refused to allow her onward travel to Japan. She finally flew out to India via Thailand and is currently staying there.

India’s Response: ‘Strong Demarche’

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that it issued a strong demarche (formal protest) both in Beijing and New Delhi.

Sources said:

• The grounds of detention were “ludicrous”
• Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably part of India
• Residents of Arunachal Pradesh are fully entitled to hold Indian passports
• China’s actions violated Chicago and Montreal Conventions governing civil aviation

India warned that these actions undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to restore normalcy in bilateral ties.

Prema’s Appeal to Indian Government

Prema wrote a detailed email to the MEA stating:

• Declaring her passport “invalid” is a direct attack on India’s sovereignty
• A geopolitical dispute should never be targeted at a private Indian citizen
• She seeks compensation for harassment, physical and mental suffering, and financial losses

She also expressed emotional anguish:

“I have not given up my Indian passport because I love my country. But I probably would not have faced this if I had a British passport.”

Context: Ongoing Border Tensions

The incident comes at a time when:

• China continues attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh
• India has repeatedly rejected the claims
• Both nations are trying to stabilize relations after border tensions

This latest episode risks adding fresh strain.