evidence: Tawang has thus always been a region of conflict between India and China because of the precariousness of the McMahon Line and the historical as well as strategic importance surrounding it. Up until 2008, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile maintained that Tawang was historically part of Tibet. Consequently, officials of the Tibetan Government in Exile also maintain that Tawang is an integral part of India and that the Simla Treaty (1914) should be respected. However, China to date does not recognise Arunachal Pradesh to be a part of the Indian Territory and has on multiple occasions stated its claim over the area.