Sensitivity about India is taken as read (5)
I believe the answer is:
tacit
'taken as read' is the definition.
(tacit can mean taken as read or assumed)
'sensitivity about india' is the wordplay.
'sensitivity' becomes 'tact' (being tactful is being sensitive).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'india' becomes 'i' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'tact' placed around 'i' is 'TACIT'.
'is' is the link.
(Other definitions for tacit that I've seen before include "Silent but implied" , "Implied -- inferred" , "Understood, implicit" , "Implied or understood, not put into words" , "Aircraft engine casing" .)