By News Desk 
On Friday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) posted a map on social media that quickly triggered widespread controversy and backlash, especially from Indian users. The map inaccurately depicted Jammu & Kashmir as part of Pakistan, Arunachal Pradesh as part of China, and even connected India’s Northeast to Nepal — a move that outraged many Indians and sparked intense criticism online.
Facing the backlash, the IDF issued a formal apology, acknowledging the error. In their statement, posted on social media, the IDF clarified:
“The graphic was merely an illustration of the region. The borders shown are not accurate. We sincerely apologize for the mistake.”
Despite the public apology, the Indian government has yet to release an official response regarding the incident. Meanwhile, the opposition party Congress seized the moment to criticize the ruling BJP. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X (formerly Twitter), calling it a diplomatic embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Yet another proud day in the legacy of the so-called Vishwaguru. His ‘friend’ now shows Jammu & Kashmir as part of Pakistan,” Khera tweeted sarcastically.
What Exactly Happened?
The controversy began when the IDF shared a regional threat map on X, aiming to highlight Iran as a global threat. The map included geopolitical regions such as West Asia, North Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia including India — but India’s territory was misrepresented.
As part of its message, Israel claimed it had no choice but to act in response to escalating threats from Iran. The post included the now-controversial map as part of the campaign’s visual material. Indian users quickly took notice of the incorrect borders and heavily criticized the IDF for the oversight.
This comes in the backdrop of increasingly close ties between India and Israel over the past decade. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian PM to visit Israel in 2017, marking a turning point in bilateral relations.
Israel’s Ongoing Military Operation: ‘Operation Rising Lion’
The map controversy coincided with Israel’s launch of Operation Rising Lion on June 13, a major military campaign targeting key Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, including the Natanz facility. In retaliation, Iran launched over 150 ballistic missiles and drones toward major Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Conclusion
While the IDF has apologized for the cartographic mistake, the incident has opened up diplomatic friction and provided political ammunition for the opposition in India. As global tensions rise due to the Israel-Iran conflict, moments like these underscore how sensitive geopolitical representation can be — and how quickly it can spiral into a diplomatic issue.