WASHINGTON: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) removed a map of India from its official social media account after Pakistan lodged a diplomatic protest over the depiction of disputed territories as part of India, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
The map had accompanied a USTR announcement regarding an interim US-India trade framework and showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, within Indian boundaries.
It also illustrated Aksai Chin as Indian territory despite its disputed status between India and China.
The image was posted on Friday and was no longer visible by Monday evening, the first working day after the weekend.
According to officials familiar with the development, Pakistan raised the matter with the US Embassy in Islamabad as well as with State Department officials in Washington. Islamabad conveyed that the depiction ran counter to the long-held US position that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed region whose final status is to be determined under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Sources said the outline map appeared to have been taken from a publicly available digital mapping service, similar to another map used by the USTR in a separate communication related to Bangladesh. Although the maps did not label specific regions, Pakistani officials maintained that any official representation issued by a US government body carries diplomatic implications, particularly on an issue as sensitive as Kashmir.
The concern intensified after sections of the Indian media interpreted the map as reflecting a shift in Washington’s stance on the territorial dispute. Pakistani officials said this interpretation made it necessary to promptly seek clarification and ensure that the image did not create a misleading impression.
While the USTR’s statement on the trade framework remains available online, the map has been withdrawn. By contrast, the map used in the Bangladesh-related post remains visible, reinforcing the view among Pakistani officials that the India map was posted inadvertently.
The development came as Washington and New Delhi announced progress towards a phased bilateral trade agreement aimed at expanding commercial ties. According to a joint statement issued over the weekend, tariff reductions form part of the proposed arrangement to encourage two-way trade.
Pakistani officials noted that the matter carried added sensitivity in light of India’s August 2019 decision to revoke the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir, a step Islamabad rejects as unlawful and contrary to international commitments.
They also pointed out that showing Aksai Chin as part of India risked misrepresenting another unresolved territorial dispute and did not align with Washington’s stated position of neutrality in border disagreements between India and China.
US authorities have not issued a public explanation regarding the removal of the map. Pakistani diplomats described the episode as a reminder that even technical visuals issued by official entities can have diplomatic repercussions when they touch upon long-standing territorial disputes.
