USTR's India map draws attention as Delhi, Washington announce trade pact

As New Delhi and Washington announced details of the bilateral interim agreement framework on trade, a map of India issued by the US Trade Representative's office on Friday drew attention.

The map, posted by US Trade Representative on the social media site X, showed the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as Indian territory.

Similarly, the Aksai Chin region, claimed by China, is also shown as part of the Indian territory, a significant messaging by the US.

On previous occasions, maps of India have been shown with a demarcated line to portray the PoK and Aksai Chin region.

But the map of India issued by the USTR shows 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.

India also asserts that Aksai Chin is an integral part of its territory based on historical claims and past treaties.

Previously, in the "standard map" released by China, the country has staked claim over Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin region, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea.

India and the US on Friday announced 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.

According to a joint statement, the US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent. The US has removed the punitive 25 per cent additional duty on Indian goods, and the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs are expected to be reduced to 18 per cent soon.