Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh as "ridiculous" during a lecture at the prestigious Institute of South Asian Studies (ASS) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). He emphasized that Arunachal Pradesh, a border state, is an "integral part of India." Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Singapore, stated, "This is not a new issue. So China has claimed, it has increased its claim. The claim was ridiculous to begin with and is still ridiculous today."
Jaishankar commenced his visit to Singapore by paying homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the soldiers of Azad Hind Sena at the War Memorial in Singapore. He expressed his patriotism in a post, stating, "I started the tour by paying tribute to Netaji and the brave soldiers of Azad Hind Sena. His intense patriotism is an inspiration for the generations to come."
During his visit, Jaishankar is scheduled to meet with key leaders, including Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Singapore's Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that Jaishankar's visit underscores the close friendship between Singapore and India, providing an excellent opportunity for both sides to discuss regional and global affairs and further enhance bilateral cooperation.