Big signal: US map shows PoK, Aksai Chin as Indian territory

As India and the US announced the framework for an interim trade agreement on Saturday, a map of India released by the Trump administration drew attention for depicting the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), and Aksai Chin as part of India.

While India’s sovereignty over these territories has never required US validation, the move marks a departure from previous US maps, which often showed POK separately, reflecting Pakistan’s claims. Analysts said the map sends a strong diplomatic signal supporting India’s position, while delivering a symbolic setback to Pakistan.

The timing is notable: The trade deal comes after a year of tensions, including a punitive 50% tariff on Indian goods, now reduced to 18%—the lowest among Asian nations. Experts and geopolitical commentators praised the map, calling it a rare alignment of US policy with India’s long-standing territorial claims.

The interim pact, expected to be signed in mid-March, offers relief to Indian exporters and includes concessions on steel, aluminium, copper, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles, while keeping agriculture and dairy protected.

Whether the map reflects a strategic policy shift or a bureaucratic oversight is unclear, but it has given India a significant diplomatic boost and reinforced its claims on disputed territories.