Editor,
DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed AI chatbot launched in 2023 by entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng, has raised concerns among Indian users due to its reluctance to provide accurate and comprehensive information about Arunachal Pradesh and its indigenous Tani tribes. This selective withholding of information questions the AI’s transparency, neutrality, and reliability, prompting calls for caution among Indian users and scrutiny from policymakers.
DeepSeek has gained attention for its cost-effective performance, rivalling models like Open AI’s ChatGPT and xAI’s Grok. However, recent interactions reveal a troubling pattern:
DeepSeek consistently evades queries about Arunachal, a state integral to India but claimed by China as ‘South Tibet’ or ‘Zangnan’. When asked about the Tani tribes – including the Nyishi, Adi, Apatani, Mising, Galo and Tagin – who form a significant cultural and demographic backbone of Arunachal, DeepSeek responds vaguely, often stating, “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.”
This occurs even for basic inquiries about the tribes’ art, cultural practices, or demographic details, which are well-documented in Indian and global sources. In contrast, AI models like xAI’s Grok and OpenAI’s ChatGPT provide detailed and accurate responses about Arunachal and the Tani tribes. DeepSeek, omits Arunachal when listing Northeast Indian states and fails to provide similar cultural or demographic details, raising concerns about its programming. DeepSeek’s reluctance extends to sensitive geopolitical topics, including the 1962 Sino-India war and Chinese territorial claims over Arunachal and Aksai Chin.
It also avoids questions about the personal assets of Chinese political or business leaders, while readily addressing less sensitive topics. This selective silence aligns with China’s practice of censoring politically sensitive information, suggesting potential state influence in DeepSeek’s design.
The implications are significant. By failing to acknowledge Arunachal as an Indian state or provide factual details about its Tani tribes, DeepSeek risks undermining India’s sovereignty and cultural identity. Social media platforms like X reflect growing criticism, with users labeling the AI as potentially biased, which seems to suggest that DeepSeek needs approval from Chinese authorities to answer sensitive questions, highlighting its evasive responses.
AI tools must uphold transparency, neutrality, and accuracy, especially when addressing culturally and geopolitically sensitive regions like Arunachal. The Tani tribes and Northeast India deserve accurate representation, free from external bias or censorship.
We call on the Indian government to investigate DeepSeek’s operations, as it did with Chinese apps banned in 2020, to safeguard India’s sovereignty and protect its citizens from potential misinformation.
Ashok Sonam Tajo