Google Maps now redirects users to the official map of India when searching for ‘Bharat’ in the search bar. It seems that Google has also added another name of the country to the dictionary of the widely popular and largest map database. This means that users worldwide can type either ‘India’ or ‘Bharat’ into Google Maps to search for official Indian maps.
The changes come weeks after the Indian government used the word ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India’ in invitations to the G20 dinner. It highlights that both the names ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ are constitutionally recognized names of the country, as stated in Article 1 of the Indian Constitution. It says, ‘India, i.e. Bharat, shall be a Union of States’.
There was a storm of controversy in the country over the use of alternative names. Some assumed that the Indian government could change the country’s official name. However, so far, no such change has taken place, and the government has denied any such proposal.
