Google Earth threatens national security: Army chief

NEW DELHI: Chief of the Indian army General J.J. Singh today said that high-resolution images of strategic defence facilities on Google Earth posed danger to national security and the matter would have to be tackled jointly with other countries.

Replying to a question on the images being easily accessible on Google Earth, he said, "To some extent it is dangerous to national security." He said the images could give "an advantage" to parties that did not have their own defence satellites.

"It is equally dangerous to all countries and will have to be jointly tackled by all countries," General Singh added.

He was speaking at the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) seminar on the theme "Communications in the Tactical Battle Area". Gen. Singh and defence minister Pranab Mukherjee addressed the seminar.

Google Earth has put up on its website high-resolution satellite images of strategically sensitive air bases in northern India. Strategic installations of other countries, including Pakistan and the US, are similarly available on the site.

Last year, President APJ Abdul Kalam had also expressed serious concerns over the easily available images of defence sites on Google Earth.

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