‘Economist’ blacks out Indian borders

An Indian map showing borders that New Delhi contests has been blacked out in the latest issue of the London-based The Economist.

An Indian map showing borders that New Delhi contests has been blacked out in the latest issue of the London-based The Economist.

The censoring has been done in a three-page article titled "Know your own strength" as part of its cover story "Can India become a great power?" that deals with Indian military strength vis-a-vis neighbours China and Pakistan and what it calls its lack of "strategic culture".

The Economist, which apparently expected the censoring, said in its latest issue (March 30-April 5) that Indian authorities were more rigid than those in Pakistan and China when it came to maps.

The magazine said: "Sadly, India censors maps that show the current effective border, insisting instead that only its full territorial claims be shown.

"It is more intolerant on this issue than either China or Pakistan. Indian readers will probably be deprived of the map accompanying this article."