Showing PoK and Arunachal as disputed territories will land you in jail for 7 years

The Modi government has decided to be strict against the depiction of a wrong map of India, which includes showing Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) or Arunachal Pradesh as disputed lands or not as parts of India. Such maps, on any online platform or physical documents, would invite a stiff jail term of seven years along with a heavy fine of up to Rs One Crore.

To add to this, the Geospatial Information Regulation Bill would soon be brought to tables, and any person or institution acquiring and disseminating any geospatial imagery or data of any part of India through space or aerial platforms will be required to first seek permission and license from a government authority.

For online platforms like Google, this could mean an extra effort of applying for a license so that they could run Google Maps or Google Earth in India. These imageries would be screened for "sensitivity checks" so that India's security and sovereignty can be protected.

However, the act will not be applicable on Indian government bodies.

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