'No Intrusions': Kiren Rijiju Dismisses Claims Of Chinese Encroachment In Arunachal Pradesh

Last Updated:July 01, 2026, 07:11 IST

Rijiju said there has been no Chinese intrusion into Arunachal, while the Army too dismissed reports of PLA encroachment as "incorrect and without any basis."

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has dismissed claims that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has intruded into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that there has been “no intrusion" on the Indian side even though transgressions by both countries occur because the border has not been clearly demarcated.

Speaking to The Times of India, Rijiju said, “There is no intrusion. Transgressions from both sides happen due to the absence of demarcation."

His remarks came after a tribal body from Arunachal Pradesh alleged that the PLA had occupied parts of its ancestral grazing, hunting and farming land in the state’s Upper Subansiri district over the past six years, prompting demands for an official verification of the claims.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army on Tuesday also rejected media reports alleging that the Chinese military had recently encroached upon Indian territory and established camps in Arunachal Pradesh, calling such reports “incorrect and without any basis," according to ANI.

Responding to the allegations, Rijiju maintained that while incidents of transgression do take place along the India-China border, they should not be mistaken for intrusion.

“There is no intrusion. Transgressions from both sides happen due to the absence of demarcation," he told The Times of India.

The Arunachal West MP explained that the lack of a clearly demarcated boundary results in differing perceptions of the border by both countries, leading to occasional transgressions from either side.

The controversy gained attention after a tribal organisation representing a border community claimed that the People’s Liberation Army had gradually occupied portions of its traditional land in Upper Subansiri district over the last six years.

BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE NOW A PRIORITY: RIJIJU

Rijiju also spoke about infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh’s border areas, saying previous Central governments had not invested adequately in the frontier region.

He was quoted as saying that the Narendra Modi-led government had made border infrastructure a priority and significantly accelerated development works in the strategically important state, which is the largest in the Northeast by area.

The Union minister lamented the pace of infrastructure development under earlier governments and said the current administration has focused on improving connectivity and other facilities in border regions.

Backing the government’s position, the Indian Army issued a statement rejecting reports that the Chinese PLA had recently encroached into Arunachal Pradesh or established camps there.

“We have seen some media reports alleging recent encroachment by the Chinese PLA and the setting up of camps in Arunachal Pradesh. These reports are incorrect and without any basis," the Army said, according to ANI.

The clarification came amid heightened attention over the allegations made by the tribal body regarding the reported occupation of ancestral land.

INDIA, CHINA CONTINUE BORDER DIALOGUE

According to ANI, India and China held the 35th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs in Beijing last month.

The Ministry of External Affairs later said the discussions were “constructive and forward-looking."

Both sides reviewed the situation along the border and expressed satisfaction with the progress made in maintaining peace and tranquillity, which has enabled the gradual normalisation of bilateral relations.

The two countries also discussed issues related to border delimitation, border management, institutional mechanisms and cross-border cooperation.

The Indian side additionally stressed the need for an early meeting of the next Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers.

Earlier on Monday, outgoing Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi also described the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as stable, though sensitive, saying it requires constant vigilance, ANI reported.

He said the Indian and Chinese militaries conduct over 1,100 ground-level interactions every year to prevent misunderstandings and address routine border issues.

General Dwivedi added that disengagement agreements have significantly improved stability on the ground and that local issues arising from differing perceptions of the LAC are resolved through military-to-military interactions, hotlines, flag meetings and commander-level engagements.

Reiterating the Army’s approach, he said India remains committed to dialogue while maintaining a “firm, credible, vigilant and fully capable" posture to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity and national interests, according to ANI.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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