India on Tuesday rejected China’s diplomatic protest over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh last week.

“We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries regarding the comments from the Chinese side.

“Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other States of India. Objecting to such visits or India’s developmental projects does not stand to reason,” Jaiswal said.

“Further, it will not change the reality that the State of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Chinese side has been made aware of this consistent position on several occasions,” he added.

China had criticised PM Modi’s inauguration of the Sela Tunnel built in Arunachal Pradesh. “The Chinese government has never recognized the so-called Arunchal Pradesh locally set up by India, and we firmly oppose this,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders’ visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area as Zangnan.