'Racism = The Economist': British magazine gets called out for referencing India's poverty in article on wildlife conservation success

The Economist, a British news magazine, faced accusations of racism and patronizing behavior following its reference to India as "relatively poor" in an article about tiger conservation. The article, published on October 4, highlighted India's success in wildlife conservation and its lessons for other environmental efforts, stating that it was "extraordinary that India, still a relatively poor country, can achieve something as selfless as protecting other creatures."

The reference to India's poverty in an article about wildlife conservation sparked sharp reactions on social media. Communications expert Smita Deshmukh remarked on X that the magazine "can't help themselves about India" and expressed a lack of understanding of India's history and civilization on conservation. Another user, Niveditha Panda, questioned why The Economist did not address why India had to launch the Project Tiger for conservation and about its economic condition, suggesting that the magazine needed a history lesson.

Indian Forest Service officer Parveen Kaswan defended the article, stating that it recognized India's conservation journey and praised the team's efforts on the ground. However, he noted that the narrative still found room to diminish the achievement with unrelated criticism.