The office of the US Trade Representative has removed a social media post that featured a map of India showing the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as well as the Aksai Chin region as part of the Indian territory. The image was posted by the USTR’s office last week as India and the US announced details of the interim trade deal. The post was seen as a signal that the leadership in Washington agrees with India’s political map, backs the reality, and doesn’t support baseless territorial claims.
The map had shown the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as territory of India. Similarly, the Aksai Chin region, claimed by China, was also shown as part of the Indian territory. The post was seen as a major embarrassment to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir, who have been trying hard to woo the United States to have some footing at the global power table.
As of now, the specific post showing the map of India has been deleted from the USTR’s X handle.
On previous occasions, maps of India had been shown with a demarcated line to portray the PoK and Aksai Chin region. But the map of India issued by the USTR had shown the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including these two areas, as an integral part of India.
New Delhi has consistently underscored that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Also, India has clearly stated that Aksai Chin is an integral part of its territory.
India-US Trade Deal – Here’s All You Need to Know
India and the US announced on Friday night that they have reached a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade. As per the agreement, the US has reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18% and withdrawn the additional 25% duty, providing significant relief to Indian exporters.
India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products. This includes dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, and fresh and processed fruit. certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products and India has committed to buy more American products and purchase over USD 500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products.
The joint statement follows a call between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “in which the leaders reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal trade and reaffirmed their commitment to broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations.”
