Wrong India map at IMEC meeting draws strong objection from former bureaucrat

An incorrect depiction of India’s territorial boundaries in a map shown during an international meeting on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in New Delhi on Tuesday drew a strong objection from a former Indian bureaucrat attending the meeting.

The incident occurred during a presentation on IMEC-related work by a representative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which included a map of India that did not correctly depict the country’s boundaries.

The depiction prompted a strong objection from the President of the Chintan Research Foundation (CRF), pointing out that taking into account the geopolitictical concerns and sensitivities of participating countries was essential for the success of the corridor.


Priyadarshi said that while technical research and analytical work could make an important contribution to initiatives such as IMEC, such work also needed to take into account the geopolitical sensitivities of the countries concerned.

He pointed out that even otherwise valuable and technically sound work could face difficulties if it contained material that was inconsistent with a country’s official position or sensitivities. In the context of India, the accurate depiction of the country’s internationally recognised and officially held territorial boundaries was particularly important.

The issue assumed significance as the meeting brought together representatives of ports and maritime stakeholders from across the IMEC countries, including Europe, the Middle East and India. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation among ports along the proposed corridor and on translating IMEC from a connectivity concept into a practical platform for trade, investment and economic engagement.

The OECD presentation also highlighted work undertaken by the organisation in relation to IMEC and the potential of the corridor to contribute to greater economic integration and connectivity.

The meeting was held as part of efforts to build greater cooperation among ports along the IMEC route. Participants discussed the importance of ensuring that the development of the corridor takes account not only of infrastructure, logistics and trade considerations but also the political and geopolitical realities of the countries through which it will pass.

The episode underlined a broader message emerging from the meeting: for IMEC to succeed as a truly international corridor, its economic and connectivity objectives will need to be accompanied by careful attention to the sovereignty, territorial sensitivities and geopolitical concerns of all participating countries.