A Disturbing Airport Encounter That Escalated Into an International Issue
What should have been a simple three-hour layover in Shanghai turned into a shocking 18-hour ordeal for Prema Thongdok, an Arunachal Pradesh–born Indian citizen and financial-services consultant based in London. On November 21, she was stopped by Chinese immigration officials, who allegedly mocked her, dismissed her Indian passport as “invalid,” and insisted she “apply for a Chinese passport” because her birthplace is Arunachal Pradesh. Despite possessing a valid Japanese visa and meeting China’s transit-without-visa criteria, she was denied transit, denied boarding, and subjected to harassment, intimidation and degrading remarks. Her passport was withheld, she was stranded without proper food or support, and she had to miss her booked flight, incurring significant financial and emotional damage.
India’s Strong Demarche Signals Zero Tolerance for Such Treatment
India responded swiftly and firmly, issuing a strong demarche to China both in Beijing and New Delhi on the very day of the incident. Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs stressed that the grounds for detaining Prema were “ludicrous,” asserting unequivocally that Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory. New Delhi highlighted that the actions of Chinese authorities contravened the Chicago and Montreal Conventions governing international civil aviation. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai intervened locally, helping Prema recover her passport, securing her release from the transit custody area, and ensuring she boarded a late-evening flight after nearly a full day of distress. The diplomatic message was clear: India will not accept any attempt to undermine the dignity, identity or mobility rights of its citizens.
A Personal Ordeal That Exposes the Depth of a Long-Standing Territorial Dispute
Prema’s experience reveals how geopolitical disputes can directly intrude into the lives of ordinary people. China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh has been a long-running point of contention, but the weaponisation of this claim at an immigration counter marks a troubling escalation. The fact that she had transited through China without issue just a year earlier shows the arbitrary nature of the incident. For many residents of Arunachal Pradesh and India’s northeastern states, the episode raises new fears about international travel, especially through regions sensitive to territorial politics. When the legitimacy of a passport—an internationally recognised proof of nationality—is challenged on political grounds, the dispute becomes not just diplomatic but deeply personal.
A Violation of Global Norms That Raises Wider Questions About Traveler Rights
What happened to Prema is not only a bilateral flashpoint but also a concerning breach of international aviation norms. The refusal to recognise a valid passport, the withholding of documents without explanation, and the coercive insistence on purchasing a new airline ticket to retrieve those documents go against global standards for traveler treatment and airport conduct. The episode underscores the need for countries to uphold consistent, non-politicised processes at international airports. As India’s global mobility increases, ensuring the safety, respect and fair treatment of its citizens abroad becomes a matter of both national pride and international accountability.
A Stark Reminder of How Geopolitics Can Overshadow Human Dignity
Prema Thongdok’s ordeal is a chilling example of how geopolitical tensions can manifest in the most personal and vulnerable moments of travel. While India’s decisive diplomatic pushback reflects strong support for its citizens, the incident is a reminder that unresolved border disputes continue to influence interactions far from the actual frontier. It highlights the need for vigilance, stronger international safeguards and continuous diplomatic pressure to ensure such incidents do not become a pattern. At its heart, this case is about more than borders or politics—it is about the right of every traveler to be treated with basic dignity, fairness and respect, no matter where they come from.
