"Xi Wants A China-Centric Asia" - Expert's Take On Prema Thongdok Controversy

Prema Thongdok, an Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh currently living in the UK, alleges that she was detained for nearly eighteen hours at Shanghai Pudong Airport after Chinese authorities deemed her Indian passport “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.

Speaking to Republic Digital, Strategic Affairs expert Dr. Avinash Godbole says the incident reflects a calculated narrative shift by Xi Jinping, who has turned increasingly anti-India despite multiple meetings with New Delhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to him, China’s latest stance is part of a broader push to assert a China-centric Asian order.

Is this driven by intimidation, insecurity, or geopolitical control? Dr. Godbole breaks down Xi’s motivations and their implications for India.