‘What exactly does the ‘Forum Minister’ do?’ Congress slams Jaishankar over US J&K map deletion

New Delhi: The controversy began after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released a map alongside the announcement of an interim trade agreement framework between India and the United States.

The map reportedly depicted the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as part of India. It also showed Aksai Chin within Indian territory.

However, after a spokesperson from Pakistan’s Foreign Office claimed that the map had been deleted following Islamabad’s intervention, opposition leaders in India raised concerns over the Centre’s response.

Congress leader Pawan Khera took to social media platform X to question the government’s silence. He said that a Pakistani spokesperson had “claimed credit for the deletion of an Indian map by the United States” and asked why the Ministry of External Affairs had not responded publicly.

Khera directly targeted S. Jaishankar, asking what the minister was doing to safeguard India’s diplomatic interests. He criticised what he described as a focus on international speeches rather than substantive diplomatic outcomes.

In earlier remarks, Khera also referred to former US President Donald Trump, alleging that Trump had claimed he used trade and tariffs to pressure India during Operation Sindoor. Khera further claimed that India had been pressured to stop purchasing Russian oil and alleged that India was losing the “battle of narratives” against Pakistan.

India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK and Aksai Chin, is an integral part of its territory. Any international depiction of the region carries diplomatic significance. The reported deletion of the map has therefore triggered political debate, with the opposition questioning whether the government responded adequately.

As of now, the Ministry of External Affairs has not issued a detailed public statement specifically addressing the reported deletion.