India warns Twitter for tagging Leh in China

New Delhi : India has issued a warning to Twitter for wrong geotagging of Leh. The social media platform's location settings showed Leh as part of China, to which Indian government said, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir are integral and inalienable parts of India governed by the Constitution of India.

In a letter to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, the Indian government expressed disapproval of the "misrepresentation of map of India" and asked the company to "respect sensitivities of Indian citizens", sources said.

Earlier, the geo-location of Leh, which is the headquarters of the union territory of Ladakh, was shown on Twitter as part of China. Leh is the largest town in Ladakh.

The Indian government has warned Twitter that any attempt by the social media giant to "disrespect sovereignty and integrity of India, which is also reflected by the maps, is totally unacceptable" and "unlawful".

"...such attempts not only brings disrepute to Twitter but also raises questions about its neutrality and fairness as an intermediary," IT Secretary Ajay Sawhney said in the letter,  according to sources.

The warning comes at a time when India and China relations are strained amid standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

In August last year, Ladakh was carved out of Jammu and Kashmir after the government of India scrapped Article 370.