The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has taken down a social media post that showed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Aksai Chin region as part of the Indian territory. The post appeared shortly after the United States and India shared details of an interim framework for a bilateral trade agreement.
The now-deleted post was published on X and was meant to highlight the trade discussions between the two countries. Along with the information, the USTR shared a map of India that showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region within Indian borders.
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as the name implies, remains under Pakistan’s illegal occupation, while the Aksai Chin region is an integral part of India but is currently claimed by China.
India-US trade deal:
US President Donald Trump recently announced a trade agreement with India soon after holding a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As part of the move, the US reduced tariffs on Indian exports from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. Following this, both countries issued a joint statement outlining a fresh framework for a broader trade deal.
The United States also withdrew an extra 25 per cent duty that had been imposed on India for purchasing crude oil from Russia. Earlier, in August last year, India had been hit with a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on its goods, along with an additional penalty linked to its energy imports from Moscow. With the new agreement and India’s decision to stop buying Russian oil, the reciprocal tariffs have now been lowered, and the penalty duty has been fully removed.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the development would give Indian exporters access to a $30 trillion global market. He added that India has ensured strong protection for its farmers, with sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy kept outside the agreement.
Welcoming the deal, Prime Minister Modi thanked President Trump and said the agreement would strengthen the ‘Make in India’ programme while creating fresh opportunities across multiple industries.
