Tawang, Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing and the Battle of Bum La

Tensions once again simmer along India's northeastern frontier. On May 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) firmly rejected China's latest attempt to rename several locations in Arunachal Pradesh—a move Delhi described as "vain and preposterous."

- ANWESHA SANTRA

In an official statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that no amount of "creative naming" by Beijing could alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh is, and will always remain, an integral part of India.

This fresh round of diplomatic sparring comes in the wake of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcing a so-called "standardization" of names in the region, a pattern Beijing has followed over recent years in a bid to assert claims over what it refers to as Zangnan. India has consistently and categorically rejected these moves, reaffirming its sovereignty over the border state—a land rich not just in natural beauty but in stories of resilience and valor.

It is in this charged, geopolitically sensitive landscape that the remarkable story of Major Ralengnao 'Bob' Khathing finds renewed relevance. Over seven decades ago, long before international statements and diplomatic protests shaped headlines, it was Major Khathing—a resolute officer from Manipur—who quietly marched into Tawang with a small force of Assam Rifles personnel and firmly planted the Indian flag on its soil. His bold, bloodless annexation of Tawang in 1951 laid the foundation for India's enduring presence in Arunachal, a legacy now being tested by history's persistent echoes along the border.

INTEGRATION OF TAWANG INTO INDIAN TERRITORY

With the signing of the 1914 Simla Accord, Tawang and all areas in Arunachal Pradesh south of the McMahon Line became a part of British India. However, for various reasons, the British could not bring the region under their administrative control despite two attempts.