DHAKA/NEW DELHI: Indian diplomats strongly objected to the display of an incorrect map depicting Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan during a foreign affairs seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The issue arose during a keynote presentation by a former Bangladeshi diplomat, prompting an immediate response from the Indian delegation.
Objection Raised During BIISS Seminar
The seminar was organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), where diplomats, academics and policy experts gathered to discuss regional and international affairs. During the keynote presentation, a map displayed on the screen showed Jammu and Kashmir outside India’s territorial boundaries, drawing an immediate objection from the Indian delegation.
Pooja Kumari Jha, Second Secretary (Political and Information) at the High Commission of India in Dhaka, raised the issue as soon as the map appeared. She stated that the depiction was factually incorrect and reiterated India’s long-standing position that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India.
India Reaffirms Its Official Position
According to reports, Jha emphasised that the map presented at the seminar did not accurately represent India’s internationally recognised territory. Her intervention came in front of diplomats, scholars and foreign policy experts attending the event, underlining New Delhi’s consistent approach to safeguarding its territorial integrity in international forums.
The map had reportedly been shown during the keynote address by former Bangladeshi Ambassador Tariq A. Karim. Responding to the objection, Karim clarified that the map had been used only for representational purposes and was not intended to indicate actual political or international boundaries.
India’s Consistent Diplomatic Policy
Despite the clarification, India’s objection reflected its established diplomatic policy of immediately challenging any inaccurate representation of its borders. The Ministry of External Affairs has consistently maintained that maps showing Jammu and Kashmir separately or as part of another country are unacceptable and do not reflect India’s sovereign position.
Territorial depictions involving Jammu and Kashmir have remained a sensitive issue in India’s foreign policy for decades. Indian diplomatic missions across the world routinely monitor publications, presentations and official documents to ensure that India’s territorial boundaries are accurately represented.
Background on Jammu and Kashmir
Following the constitutional changes introduced in August 2019, when the Government of India reorganised the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, New Delhi has repeatedly asserted that the entire region, including areas under Pakistan’s control, forms an integral part of India. India has also maintained that issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir are internal matters.
India-Bangladesh Relations Continue
The latest incident in Dhaka comes amid ongoing efforts by India and Bangladesh to maintain close diplomatic and strategic ties. Over the past several years, both countries have expanded cooperation in areas such as trade, connectivity, energy, border management and security. Despite occasional differences, the two neighbours continue to engage through diplomatic channels on bilateral and regional issues.
Maps Remain a Sensitive Diplomatic Issue
Diplomatic observers note that territorial maps remain highly sensitive in international relations, particularly in South Asia where historical and political disputes continue to influence regional diplomacy. Governments often register formal objections whenever maps published by foreign organisations, institutions or individuals differ from their officially recognised boundaries.
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India has previously protested similar instances involving international organisations, publishers, airlines and digital platforms that displayed inaccurate maps of the country. In many cases, corrections have been issued after diplomatic representations from Indian authorities.
India Maintains Firm Stand on Sovereignty
The prompt intervention by the Indian diplomat in Dhaka reflects India’s practice of responding immediately to perceived violations of its territorial representation, irrespective of the nature of the event or the institution involved. Officials view such responses as essential to preserving India’s official position on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Although the seminar continued after the clarification from the presenter, the incident attracted attention in diplomatic circles and media reports, highlighting the continuing sensitivity surrounding cartographic representations of Jammu and Kashmir.
India has consistently maintained that all maps and official references should accurately depict Jammu and Kashmir as an inseparable part of the Republic of India, and it continues to raise objections whenever deviations occur in international or regional forums.
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