The United States Senate Committee has passed a resolution recognising Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, following a historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the States last month. The Congressional Senatorial Committee passed the resolution on Thursday. It was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Bill Hagerty, Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen.

Resolution will go to Senate floor 

The resolution reaffirms that the United States recognises the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and Arunachal Pradesh. The resolution also pushes back against People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims that Arunachal Pradesh is PRC territory, which is a part of the PRC’s increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies. 

The resolution will go to the Senate floor for a full vote.

US views Arunachal Pradesh as part of India

In a statement, Senator Merkley, who is also the co-chair of the Congressional executive commission on China, said, “America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the center of all of our actions and relationships around the world — especially as the PRC government pushes an alternative vision.” 

“Committee passage of this resolution affirms that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India — not the People’s Republic of China — and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners,” he said.

Hagerty, who has also served as the American ambassador to Japan and is an important voice on Indo-Pacific issues, said at a time when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the free and open Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for the United States to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region — especially India and other Quad countries — and push back against the CCP’s broader strategy of territorial aggrandizement that it has pursued in the South and East China Seas, the Himalayas, and the southern Pacific.

‘US must stand strong in its support for democracy’

Cornyn, who is also the co-chair of the Senate India caucus, said that as tensions escalate between India and China over the border, the US must stand strong in its support for democracy and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“This resolution would reaffirm that the US recognises the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India, and I urge my colleagues to pass it without delay,” he added.

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(With PTI inputs)

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