Overview
- Pema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen born in Arunachal Pradesh and based in the UK, was held for about 18 hours on 21 November while transiting Shanghai from London to Japan.
- India issued a strong demarche and said she was stopped on ludicrous grounds, reaffirming that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian and its residents can travel on Indian passports.
- The passenger says immigration officers declared her passport invalid because of her Arunachal birthplace, withheld it, and returned it unstamped only before she was escorted to a 10:20 pm flight.
- China’s Foreign Ministry says border inspection authorities followed laws, protected her rights, and conducted a routine check, contradicting the passenger’s account and India’s statement.
- Indian officials and commentators say detaining a transit passenger and withholding a passport may violate the Chicago and Montreal Conventions; the traveler had a valid Japanese visa and previously transited China without issue.