Modi government draws Congress fire after Air India toes Chinese line on Taiwan

Abhijit Mukherjee, a Congress party lawmaker, says Air India's decision to call Taiwan "Chinese Taipei" on its website was uncalled for, and appears to reflect "a change in foreign policy". He also drew a connection between the change -- which has left the Taiwanese dismayed -- and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent trip to China.

"Taiwan is a separate country..that was the earlier stand of the government of India," Mukherjee said.

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue. The self-ruled, democratic island, which Beijing considers a wayward province, does not have formal diplomatic ties with New Delhi, and is instead represented here by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center.

The Modi government has said Air India's compliance with Beijing's demand to



change Taiwan's name on its site is "is entirely consistent with international norms and our own position on Taiwan since 1949".

"We don't know what transpired that suddenly that after our PM's visit to China [sic]...This is not correct, this shouldn't be done by them," Abhijit Mukherjee said. Modi met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Wuhan at an "informal" summit in April.

"Historically we have held this position with the government that we believe in one constant and consistent position as far as foreign policy is concerned, despite regime change" Manish Tewari, a Congressman who served as an UPA minister, said. "It is incumbent upon the government to tell us what happened that led to this change."

"We would await an explanation from the government of India on this matter."