Congress leader Pawan Khera has launched a fierce attack on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar following reports that the United States Trade Representative deleted a map depicting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin as Indian territory, reported Times Now.

The incident, tied to a recent India-US trade deal announcement, prompted a boastful claim from a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson who stated that Islamabad protested and the US duly "corrected" the "illegal map" to align with the UN position.

Khera accused Pakistan of "begging and getting" the change, questioning why India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) remained silent on what he termed an affront to national honour.

The controversy erupted after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initially posted a map showing the entirety of Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK, as part of India alongside the trade framework details.

Pakistan swiftly objected, contacting US authorities, who then removed it, according to the Pakistani spokesperson's media briefing. Khera highlighted this in a pointed X post, sharing the Pakistani clip and jibing at Jaishankar as a mere "Forum Minister" more focused on speeches than substantive diplomacy. He demanded to know if the minister's role extended beyond international platforms to actual defence of India's cartographic integrity.

This is not Khera's first broadside against Jaishankar amid India-US trade talks. Just days earlier, he criticised the interim trade agreement as "not a deal, but a surrender," alleging it undermined India's self-respect and interests in favour of figures like Ambani and Adani.

Khera contrasted the current administration with past Indian leaders who, he claimed, engaged US presidents like Nixon, Bush, and Obama as equals without compromise. The map row has amplified these attacks, with Congress portraying it as evidence of diplomatic weakness under the Modi government.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, in a weekly briefing, confirmed their intervention: "We contacted the US authorities. They realised that this map was illegal... the international map on Jammu and Kashmir" per UN standards prevailed.

This public gloating has fuelled Khera's narrative of Pakistan gaining ground in the information war, especially as MEA has issued no response, leaving the government open to charges of inaction. Opposition voices, including from RJD's Manoj Jha, have echoed similar concerns over trade terms, framing the episode as part of broader capitulation.

The timing aligns with heightened India-Pakistan tensions, including US President Donald Trump's recent claims of using trade tariffs to halt India's "Operation Sindoor" in 2025, averting potential nuclear escalation.

Khera referenced this too, alleging India lags Pakistan in shaping global narratives, with even US platforms altering maps. Critics like him argue this erodes India's territorial stance on PoK and Aksai Chin, long-held as integral despite disputes. As of February 2026, the MEA's reticence persists, intensifying political heat ahead of key diplomatic engagements.

Media coverage has amplified the row, with outlets like Times of India and Telegraph India detailing Congress's offensive, while ANI captured Khera's earlier trade critiques. YouTube clips from Times Now have gone viral, framing the story as "Pakistan Begged, Got US To Delete 'India Map'?"

The episode underscores partisan divides: BJP supporters dismiss it as opposition hyperbole, but Khera insists it questions Jaishankar's efficacy in multilateral forums. With trade ties central to Modi's US outreach post-Trump's 2024 re-election, such flashpoints risk complicating bilateral progress.

In essence, Khera's salvo blends territorial sovereignty with trade diplomacy critiques, positioning Congress as vigilant guardians of national pride. The government's silence may aim to downplay the map as a minor glitch, yet it hands ammunition to rivals amid Pakistan's vocal victory lap.

As debates rage on X and in newsrooms, the incident highlights the fragility of digital diplomacy in contested geographies. For India, reaffirming cartographic positions remains crucial, especially with global eyes on its US pivot.

Based On Times Now Video Report


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