Days after it published an offensive cartoon mocking India’s successful Mars mission, The New York Times apologised on Monday, saying it was not trying to “impugn” India.

“A large number of readers have complained about a recent editorial cartoon in International New York Times, about India’s foray into space exploration. The intent of the cartoonist, Heng Kim Song, was to highlight how space exploration is no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries,” Andrew Rosenthal, NYT’s Editorial Page Editor said in a Facebook post.

“We apologise to readers who were offended by the choice of images in this cartoon. Heng was in no way trying to impugn India, its government or its citizens. We appreciate that readers have shared their feedback, which we welcome,” Mr. Rosenthal said.

The September 28 cartoon shows an Indian man, along with a bull, wearing a short “dhoti” and a shirt with the words ‘India,’ knocking on the door to a room that has a sign ‘Elite Space Club.’

Inside the room are two Western men reading a newspaper with the headline ‘India’s Mars Mission.’

The cartoon came on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in New York addressing thousands of Indian-Americans. from the podium of the Madison Square Garden.

Several people had hit back at the newspaper and commented on social media that the paper should publish the apology in its print edition instead of apologising on a Facebook page.