India takes up ‘anomalies’ in new UN world map with ‘concerned persons’

The External Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) that it has taken up the “anomalies” in the world map, used extensively in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during the discussion on the India-backed “Correct the Map” resolution, with the “concerned persons”. The map depicted India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as distinct regions caught between unspecified Indian and Chinese claim lines.

In the Ministry’s bi-weekly briefing, official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that India had voted for the principle behind the “Correct the Map” resolution but had not endorsed any map. The resolution seeks to correct distortions in commonly used world maps, “which are seen as misrepresenting the relative size of continents and contribute to a diminished perception of Africa and other equatorial regions,” as per the UN.

The Hindu reported on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) that the map released on July 1 by UN Geospatial, and which remains on the UN Geospatial website, did not use the traditional UN cartographical markers like “Indian line” and “Chinese line” while demarcating Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, thereby creating ambiguity regarding the status of the two regions.

The map showed the Line of Control between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir as a dotted line and gave an explanation for it. However, it did not give similar explanations for not clearly specifying the Chinese and Indian claim lines in Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as the UN had done in previously published maps. 

India’s stance

Responding to a question on this, Mr. Jaiswal said, “We have endorsed the principle of equalising maps, but not of any map. There may be maps for consultation. We have taken up the anomalies with the concerned persons”.

“India voted in favour of the resolution and has issued its clarification there. The UN has not endorsed any map,” said Mr. Jaiswal.

The “Correct the Map” resolution was passed on September 4, 2026. Discussions on the map began in March this year when the African Union supported “Equal Earth cartographic projection to more accurately represent Africa”. The African Union called this approach “cognitive justice”. Subsequently, Togo prompted UNGA consultations on the map in April 2026, and the UNGA started informal consultations in July when the map authored by UN Geospatial was taken up.

Following the passing of the resolution by the UNGA, Mr. Jaiswal had said on Sunday (September 6, 2026) that India had voted in favour of the “underlying principle of promoting equal-area cartographic representation”, adding, “India’s sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be depicted in accordance with India’s official map. Any inaccurate or misleading depiction is unacceptable.”