Message to Pakistan? Amid trade pact, India’s map shared by US trade representative grabs attention | India News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: As New Delhi and Washington introduced the framework for an interim trade settlement on Saturday, a map of India launched by the US trade representative’s (USTR) workplace drew attention.The map, shared alongside particulars of the trade deal framework, exhibits your entire Jammu and Kashmir area – together with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) – as half of India. It additionally depicts Aksai Chin, a area claimed by China, inside Indian territory. China claims the territory and has objected to India’s place, a dispute that has remained a delicate challenge in bilateral ties between New Delhi and Beijing.

In a publish on X US trade representative mentioned, “From tree nuts and dried distillers’ grains to crimson sorghum and recent and processed fruit, the US-India Settlement will present new market entry for American merchandise.Whereas India has constantly maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral half of the nation and doesn’t require exterior validation of its sovereignty, the depiction marks a departure from earlier US authorities maps, which generally confirmed the opposite claims as an element of the map.The timing of the map launch is notable, coming as India and the US are transferring to higher the trade ties following months of hypothesis.Earlier this yr, the Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on Indian items, together with an extra 25% for Russian oil imports – the best levied on a US ally – amid stalled trade negotiations. Below the interim framework introduced, that tariff is about to be decreased to 18%, one of the bottom amongst Asian nations.

Sign to Islamabad

Although the USTR didn’t touch upon the map, it comes as a humiliation for Pakistan, which claims PoK. The launch additionally comes amid sustained diplomatic outreach by Pakistan to Washington in latest months, together with a number of visits by Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif and military chief, Asim Munir, and conferences with President Trump.The interim trade pact, anticipated to be signed by mid-March, is geared toward easing trade tensions and offering aid to Indian exporters after months of uncertainty.