Intentional or by mistake? US deletes map showing PoK and Aksai Chin as part of India

India and the US announced the framework of an interim trade agreement on February 6.

The Office of the USTR has deleted a map showing PoK as part of India. — This map was released on February 7, 2026, to coincide with the India-US trade deal. (Image: X/@USTradeRep)

New Delhi: The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has deleted a map showing PoK as part of India. This map was released on February 7, 2026, to coincide with the India-US trade deal. It depicted the potential entry of US goods into India. This map not only showed PoK as part of India, but also included Aksai Chin. However, the Office of the US Trade Representative has not commented on the deletion of the map.

India-US announced framework interim trade agreement

India and the US announced the framework of an interim trade agreement on Friday, February 6. The US Trade Office (USTR) shared an Indian map with this announcement. This map showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin (China-occupied territory), as part of India.

Map went viral on social media

This map went viral on social media. Previously, the US had shown PoK separately on maps. Even in international forums and official maps of Western countries, disputed areas are shown with different colours or dotted lines.

This time, the Trump administration shared a map that fully recognizes India’s borders, and India has always maintained that Jammu and Kashmir are integral parts of India.

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Also read: US’s big shocker for Pakistan, releases map showing PoK and Aksai Chin as part of India, goes viral on social media

The map generated considerable discussion

The Indian map generated considerable discussion on social media. It was then said that by including PoK and Aksai Chin within India, the US was sending a strong message to Pakistan and China. However, its deletion has raised many questions. The map was released from the former handle of the US Trade Representative (USTR), @USTradeRep. This was considered a major departure from the decades-old US policy of neutrality.

Map of Bangladesh posted after signing of US-Bangladesh trade deal

This handle also posted a map of Bangladesh regarding the recently signed US-Bangladesh trade deal. Furthermore, a map of Argentina was also shown regarding the US-Argentina trade deal, although there is no map of India regarding the US-India trade deal.

America’s stance on Kashmir

The US has repeatedly reiterated that Kashmir is a “direct and bilateral issue” between India and Pakistan. Although President Donald Trump has previously offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, the current stance is that the US will intervene only if both sides explicitly request it. India, meanwhile, has rejected Trump’s appeal for mediation.