The New York Times newspaper issued an apology to its readers. The newspaper issued the apology in response to criticism from its readers for a cartoon on India’s Mars Mission. The New York Times clarified that the newspaper had no intentions to ‘impugn India’. The clarification was given by the newspaper on early Monday morning on the New York Times’ Facebook page.

The cartoon that appeared along with an article titled India’s Budget Mission to Mars showed a farmer with a cow who was knocking at the door of a room marked Elite Space Club, where two men were drawn sitting reading a newspaper on India’s feat.

Andrew Rosenthal, Editorial Page Editor of New York Times, in a Facebook post wrote that a large number of its readers complained about the cartoon.

Rosenthal said, “The intent of the cartoonist, Heng Kim Song, was to highlight how space exploration is no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries”.

Heng, who is based in Singapore, expresses his work in a provocative manner in order to make observations about various international affairs, said Rosenthal.

In addition, he said that they apologized to their readers who were hurt by the section of image in the cartoon.

Last month, India’s Mangalyaan robotic probe successfully entered the orbit around Mars. And the total cost involved in the entire mission was $74 million, which made it one of the cheapest interplanetary space missions ever.

Only the US, Russia and Europe have previously sent missions to Mars, but India has become the only country to succeed in its first attempt.

The Mangalyaan robotic probe was launched from the Sriharikota spaceport on the coast of the Bay of Bengal on November 5, 2013.

Four missions that are revolving around the red planet include Maven (US), Mars Odyssey (US), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (US) and Mars Express (Europe).