Overview

• Real Engineering's May 17 video praising India's space program included a map omitting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin, sparking widespread criticism.
• Indian viewers flooded the comments section, accusing the channel of disrespecting India's territorial integrity and promoting a 'Western narrative.'
• Brian McManus, the Texas-based Irish creator behind the channel, defended the map as 'internationally recognized' and dismissed border disputes as 'constructs.'
• McManus declared he would not praise India again, further inflaming tensions with his dismissive tone and perceived insensitivity to national sovereignty.
• The controversy underscores the sensitivity of border representations in India and raises questions about global content creators' accountability to local geopolitical contexts.