(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) India on Tuesday strongly objected to the arbitrary detention of an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh by Chinese authorities at Shanghai International Airport, terming the incident a violation of international norms and bilateral understanding.

Earlier, a woman from Arunachal Pradesh was allegedly detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport after officials reportedly refused to recognise her Indian passport.

Responding to media queries on the subject, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the matter has been taken up strongly with the Chinese side.

“Chinese authorities have yet to provide any credible justification for their actions, which contravene established international air travel conventions and their own visa-free transit policy,” he said.

Jaiswal reiterated India's consistent position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

"This is a fact beyond dispute. No amount of denial or misrepresentation by China can alter this reality," he added.

The incident has further strained diplomatic ties, with India demanding accountability and adherence to international norms from Beijing.

The woman hails from Rupa in West Kameng district and has lived in the UK for many years, was travelling from London to Japan for a vacation on November 21 when her three-hour layover turned into a prolonged and distressing confrontation.

Thongdok, who was educated in the USA, has been living in London for a long time. According to local media reports, her father, L.D. Thongdok, who was a senior engineer in the PWD, was a prominent technocrat who died during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

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