India Warns UN Map Initiative Must Show J&K, Ladakh as Per Official Map
India says UN-backed world map project must depict J&K and Ladakh as per its official map; flags sovereignty as non-negotiable.
India has stated that any world map initiative backed by the United Nations must represent the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh strictly in line with New Delhi's official cartographic position. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday that any inaccurate or misleading depiction of these regions would be unacceptable.
Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's stance on its sovereignty and territorial integrity is clear, consistent, and non-negotiable. The remarks came after India voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution on September 4 titled 'Correct the Map: Rebalancing Global Cartographic Representation and Promoting Equitable Representation of the World's Regions, Particularly Africa'.
The resolution encourages the use of equal-area map projections, such as the Equal Earth projection, to better reflect the relative sizes of continents. The MEA clarified that the resolution neither adopts nor authenticates any specific world map, nor does it address political cartography, including international boundaries, disputed territories, or place names.
India explained its vote by stressing the principle of promoting equal-area cartographic representation. It also highlighted that the resolution does not constitute an endorsement of any particular map, projection, or depiction of national boundaries.
The resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 164 in favour, with the United States voting against and six countries — Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine — abstaining. The text was sponsored by Togo.