New Delhi : The United Nations on Friday adopted a resolution, seeking to promote more accurate representation of the world on maps. While India was among the nations that voted yes for the resolution, the Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday made it clear that the country’s map should be presented properly.
New Delhi maintained that its support for the endeavour was limited to the principle of using equal-area map projections and did not amount to endorsing any particular map or changing how India’s territory is depicted. The MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Sunday issued a strong clarification on Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
He insisted that these areas must be shown according to India’s official map and that any inaccurate or misleading depiction is “unacceptable”. New Delhi went on to emphasise that the resolution should remain technologically and methodologically neutral.
When asked why it voted yes for the resolution, Jaiswal said that India supported the broader principle of using the equal-area map projections, which preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses. The UN resolution presented by Togo is titled “Correct the Map: Rebalancing Global Cartographic Representation and Promoting Equitable Representation of the World’s Regions, Particularly Africa”
MEA has maintained that the proposed resolution encouraged the use of equal-area map projections that preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses. “The resolution neither adopts nor authenticates a particular world map, nor does it address political cartography, including international boundaries, disputed territories or place names,” MEA said.
It is pertinent to note that the resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Friday by a vote of 164-1. Only the United States voted against the resolution. The proposal encourages wider consideration of equal-area map projections to address distortions associated with traditional systems such as the Mercator projection.
While backing the resolution, India separately stressed that it should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any specific depiction of national boundaries. The ministry maintained that India provided an explanation of its vote, stressing the principle of promoting equal-area cartographic representation.
“We also highlighted that the resolution does not constitute endorsement of any specific map, projection or depiction of national boundaries,” he said. MEA made it clear that India’s sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be shown according to the country’s official map.
“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,” Jaiswal said. MEA added, “Our position on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is clear, consistent and non-negotiable.”
