India Supports UN Equal-Area Map Resolution, Cites Territorial Concerns

India has backed a United Nations General Assembly resolution encouraging the wider use of equal-area world maps, while making it clear that its support does not amount to approval of any particular map projection or representation of national boundaries. The resolution focuses on improving the way the relative sizes of countries and continents are portrayed on maps, particularly highlighting concerns over distortions in conventional projections.

India’s position was outlined by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, who said the country voted in favour of the resolution and also made an explanation of its vote. He stressed that the resolution promotes the principle of equal-area cartographic representation but does not adopt or authenticate a specific world map. According to Jaiswal, the resolution also does not deal with political cartography, including international boundaries, disputed territories or place names.

India separately reiterated its position on how its territory should be represented on maps. Jaiswal said the country’s sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be depicted according to India’s official map. He described any inaccurate or misleading representation as unacceptable and said India’s position regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity remains clear, consistent and non-negotiable.

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The UN resolution encourages the use of equal-area map projections that preserve the relative size of land masses. It was led by Togo and supported by the African Union, which has long raised concerns that commonly used world maps can make some regions appear disproportionately large while reducing the apparent size of others. The resolution promotes equal-area representations for education, public communication and other situations where comparisons of geographical size are important.

The widely used Mercator projection was originally developed for navigation and preserves directions and angles, but it significantly enlarges areas farther from the equator. This can make regions such as Europe and North America appear much larger relative to Africa than their actual land areas. The Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018, was designed to address such distortions by maintaining relative land areas while keeping continental shapes recognisable.

The resolution does not require an immediate worldwide change in mapping practices. It is non-binding and does not prohibit the Mercator projection or legally compel governments, schools, publishers or digital platforms to adopt another system. India’s support therefore comes with a clear distinction between improving geographical representation through equal-area projections and its established position that depictions of its sovereign territory must conform to its official map.

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