U.S. rejects China's claim to Arunachal Pradesh, says it is a part of India

• The U.S. State Department said it recognizes the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as a part of Indian territory and "strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims".
• The statement from the United States comes amid growing tensions between nuclear-armed India and China this month.

The U.S. has rejected China's "unilateral attempts" to claim over Arunachal Pradesh, weighing in on a spat between New Delhi and Beijing after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a tunnel in the northeaster Indian state.

It is the latest in an escalating dispute between neighboring India and China, which share a 3,500 kilometer border.

China, which refers to the territory as Zangnan, claims Arunachal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet. India rejects those claims, stating Arunachal Pradesh has always been a part of India.

On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department weighed in on the matter.

"The United States recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions or encroachments, military or civilian, across the Line of Actual Control," spokesperson Vedant Patel said.

The LAC is a demarcation that separates India-controlled territory from that controlled by China.

"I see this statement as a reflection of consistent U.S. efforts to fully align itself with India in its competition with China," Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center told CNBC.

Kugelman pointed out that the U.S. typically refrains from commenting on some Indian border disputes, such as the one with Pakistan over Kashmir.But in this case, Washington is signaling its solidarity with New Delhi — "in the same way that it has