IDF Apologises for Map Misrepresenting India’s Borders, Sparks Outrage Online

14 June, 2025:

A day after the Israeli Defese Forces (IDF) released a map showing the range of Iran’s missiles, which mistakenly portrayed Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan and Northeast India as part of Nepal, the military issued an apology on Saturday. The IDF clarified that the map was not meant to depict exact national boundaries.

The controversial map, intended to highlight Iran's growing missile threat, depicted India's international boundaries inaccurately. Shared as part of a broader message warning that Iran poses a “global threat,” the map sparked outrage among Indian social media users, many of whom tagged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for an immediate correction.

In response to a post by an X handle named "Indian Right Wing Community," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) clarified that the map was merely an illustration of the region and did not accurately represent international borders. “This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologise for any offense caused,” the IDF wrote, roughly 90 minutes after the original post was shared.

The user who first flagged the error had remarked, “Now you understand why India remains neutral. In diplomacy, no one's really your friend.”

The Indian government has not yet issued an official statement, but the sensitivity of the issue is evident. India has consistently maintained that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh—some areas of which remain under illegal occupation by Pakistan and China—are integral parts of its sovereign territory. This position was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as recently as May, following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

India and Israel share strong diplomatic and defense ties. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel, marking a historic milestone in bilateral relations. India is also one of Israel’s largest defense customers globally. Beyond defense, the two countries maintain vibrant trade relations, with India ranking just behind the U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, and China in terms of trade volume with Israel.