The world’s largest search engine, Google Inc. is holding talks with the government of India for blocking access to specific maps and images of several sensitive sites and very important installation in the country.

A top official of Google Inc said that the talks is on between company’s legal teams and the government’s officials to identify the maps and images of sensitive locations and vital installations in the country. After that, it all would be taken off from Google Earth.

Earlier, the President APJ Abdul Kalam as well as various political parties had expressed their concerns on the easy access to high-resolution images through the Google Earth.

Another official who heads the Google India R&D centre said;

We cannot say when the discussions will conclude. We are discussing over the security concerns and the call for blocking access to sensitive information.

He said further that this is an ongoing exercise started by Google. The Search engine is talking with governments across the world for the same purpose.

Google Earth has already been blocked out White House and Pentagon in Washington DC. On the other hand it’s one-metre resolution maps have clear images of the Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan and several sensitive air bases and seaports in India

Google Vice-President Vinton G. Cerf has accepted that the issue was sensitive. He said;

Different nations have different perceptions and views about having access to such geographic information.

We have addressed the issue in some countries. Concerns about specific information on sensitive locations or vital installations have to consider keeping in view the laws of the respective country.

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