Indian Diplomat Raises Objection Over Incorrect J&K Map At Dhaka Programme

An Indian diplomat on Monday objected to the depiction of an incorrect map of Jammu and Kashmir during a seminar in Bangladesh, reiterating India's official position that the Union Territory is an "integral and inalienable" part of the country. The objection was raised during an event organised at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka, where policymakers, diplomats and strategic affairs experts gathered to discuss regional cooperation in South Asia.

The incident occurred during a presentation by former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmed Tariq Karim at a seminar titled "Rebuilding Trust, Renewing Regional Integration: Pathways for Revitalising SAARC." As Karim addressed the audience, Pooja Kumari Jha, Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, pointed out that the map of India displayed during the presentation did not accurately depict Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the gathering, Jha said, "The map of India depicted is incorrect. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India." Her intervention came while the presentation was underway and was aimed at drawing attention to what India viewed as an inaccurate representation of its territorial boundaries. Responding to the objection, Ahmed Tariq Karim clarified that the map used in the presentation was intended solely for illustrative purposes and was not meant to reflect official or actual international boundaries.

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"The map was for representational purposes only and doesn't project actual boundaries," Karim said. Jha acknowledged the clarification but reiterated India's position, stating that Jammu and Kashmir had nonetheless been misrepresented and that she wanted to place India's objection on record. Karim subsequently asked whether the participant raising the objection represented India, following which Jha identified herself as the Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Acknowledging her remarks, Karim responded by saying, "The point is noted," before continuing with his presentation.

The remainder of Karim's address focused on the historical evolution of South Asia and the challenges facing regional integration. He argued that many South Asian countries inherited legal sovereignty after colonial rule but also faced complex questions relating to identity, institutions and territorial integrity. According to him, colonial-era border-making reshaped political thinking in the region and encouraged states to view neighbours through the lens of security and territorial concerns.

Karim also said that South Asia before colonial consolidation functioned as a more interconnected region characterised by trade routes, pilgrimage networks, linguistic continuity and cultural exchanges that transcended present-day national borders. He suggested that communities historically moved freely across areas that later became international frontiers, contributing to shared regional identities.

India has consistently maintained that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of the country. The diplomatic intervention in Dhaka reflects New Delhi's longstanding practice of objecting to maps or representations that, in its view, inaccurately depict India's territorial boundaries. The seminar otherwise continued as scheduled, with discussions centred on regional cooperation, SAARC and broader strategic issues affecting South Asia.

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