Sudden U-turn? US removes map depicting PoK and Aksai Chin as part of India

The map's removal follows days of debate over whether the depiction was a simple cartographic error or a deliberate, well-timed message amid a broader reset in India-US ties after months of trade friction. (File photo)

• US Trade office removed map showing PoK and Aksai Chin as Indian territory
• Map's removal sparked debate on US stance over South Asia's territorial disputes
• India and US agreed to cut tariffs, easing recent trade tensions

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In a sudden twist, the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) office has now quietly removed a map of India that showed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin as Indian territory, putting an end to speculation over whether Washington was signalling a shift on some of South Asia’s most sensitive territorial disputes.

The map, posted last week on the USTR’s official X account alongside the announcement of an interim trade agreement framework between India and the US, has now been taken down in full without any accompanying explanation.

Its removal follows days of debate over whether the depiction was a simple cartographic error or a deliberate, well-timed message amid a broader reset in India-US ties after months of trade friction.

When it appeared, the map marked a striking departure from long-standing US practice. Official US maps have traditionally shown Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with a separate demarcation to reflect Islamabad’s claims.

The USTR map had, however, portrayed the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK, as part of India.

Not just this.

The map also depicted Aksai Chin, a region in northeastern Ladakh claimed by China, within India’s borders. To be mentioned here, Beijing has consistently asserted its claim over Aksai Chin, a claim that New Delhi has repeatedly rejected.

Previously, the US government's maps have used dotted or dashed lines to indicate disputed territories such as PoK and Aksai Chin. The absence of any such qualifiers in the USTR-issued map was widely viewed as a notable departure from established cartographic conventions.

India has long maintained that "the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India." New Delhi has also maintained that Aksai Chin is an integral part of its territory, citing historical claims and past treaties.

The Ministry of External Affairs has consistently objected to what it describes as inaccurate representations of India’s borders, particularly Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, in maps released by foreign governments and international agencies, including those of the U.S.

The episode unfolded even as India and the US moved to ease trade tensions.

The two sides, earlier this month, agreed on an interim trade framework under which Washington will cut tariffs on Indian goods from 50 percent to 18 percent. Notably, this marks the lowest rate extended by the US to any Asian country.

According to a joint statement, the US has also withdrawn the additional 25 percent punitive duty on Indian exports, with reciprocal tariffs expected to be reduced to 18 percent to boost bilateral trade.