India rejects Google’s Street View plans

New Delhi, June 9: India has rejected Google’s plans to put Indian cities, tourists spots, hills and rivers in an application in which one can explore through 360-degree, panoramic and streetlevel imagery.

The home ministry has conveyed to Google that its plans to cover India through the Google Street View is rejected.

Security establishment got wary of allowing such image-capturing given that planning for the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai is believed to have involved photographic reconnaissance of targets by Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley.

Official sources said the rejection came after a detailed analysis by security agencies and defence forces which feel that allowing Google to cover India would compromise country’s security interest.

Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said once the proposed Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016 comes into force, issues related to inter net-based application would be resolved.

The internet services giant wanted to cover most of the Indian territory through the Google Street View.

It explores places around the world through 360-degree, panoramic and streetlevel 3D imagery. Everything taken under it posted online.

It has been extensively used in the United States, Canada and many European countries, its applications in India was initially permitted for a few location. PTI