Protecting the Truth in India; An Existential Threat to a New Global Power

In the intricate world of global geopolitics and influence, the shadow of disinformation looms large, conducted by actors seeking to undermine the new India, manipulating publicsentiment and upending societal cohesion as a means of pushing their own insidious agendas.

Mahatma Gandhi once wrote that, “The word satya (Truth) is derived from Sat which means ‘being.’ Nothing is or exists in reality except Truth. That is why Sat or Truth is perhaps the most important name of God.”

And truth is important to us all. Today, perhaps no countriesare distorting this sanctified principle with more falsehoodsthan China and Russian Federation, which have placed themselves at the forefront of disinformation campaigns the world over.

India, a power to be reckoned with and one of the key global contemporary actors, is still seen by Russia and China as akey piece in their great geopolitical chess (or Xiangqi) match with the West.

Disinformation has been used to exploit the vastness of India’s social media platforms, news channels and in some instances even public personalities to disseminate misleading narratives, conspiracy theories, and amplify existing divisions with the aim of tearing the fabric of societies apart. India, with its new global status, demands a robust response.

Indeed, both Russia and China have strategically deployedtheir vast disinformation machine, a carefully calibrated behemoth seeking to manipulate pre-existing societal fault lines, particularly in regions where political, religious, or ethnic divisions are already evident. India’s wonderous mosaic of diversity – a source of great pride and creative potential – also leaves it particularly vulnerable. As one of the most ethnically diverse societies on earth, it is at far greater risk than many anticipate.

An examination of Russian and Chinese disinformation in India reveals a sophisticated playbook, expertly executed to exploit the country's pre-existing vulnerabilities. The ongoing Sino-Indian border dispute, which includes the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region (ruled by China but claimed by India) and Arunachal Pradesh (administered by India but claimed by China) are primeexamples. Seeking to support its ally in Beijing, Russia has been shown to have deployed its disinformation techniques in support of China, and in order to stoke nationalist fervourescalating tensions between the two nations.

Threatened by India’s growing role, disinformation efforts have also included attempts to discredit India on the international stage, and specifically undermine its position as host of the G20. The South Asian economic giant clearly intimidates the modern flagbearers of Eastern power.

Only days before the summit, China, with Russia’s help, released maps of the territories in question on social media painting them as its own, alongside the spread of fake news on India’s position on the war in Ukraine (Russian disinformation claimed Indian leaders refused to call the conflict a “war”). This is despite the agreements coming out of the India hosted G20 which clearly called the conflict a war; agreements which were signed by all members, except Russia and China.

Aside from pushing a very obviously false narrative, Russia, and its Chinese counterparts pushed messages on social media which included campaigns claiming that India is too poor to host the summit, even going so far as to claim that India would lower reception standards for Russian and Chinese diplomats at the summit.

The consequences of falling prey to these manipulations extend beyond the digital realm, with real-world implications for societal harmony and international diplomacy.

One such case was seen in the recent row with Canada. Although this began as a result of a very real diplomatic issue, bad actors used disinformation to fan the flames of the spat, attempting to further widen the wedge which had opened up in this strategic partnership.

The perils of succumbing to disinformation are not theoretical conjectures; they are very real threats that demand our attention. Promoting societal division, stirred by the powerful efforts of external actors, has the very real potential to spill over from the realm of online incitement to physical acts of violence.

Aside from this is the very fundamental question of basic trust in our democratic institutions, which once undermined, is very difficult if not impossible to gain back from citizens.

With the cornerstone of thriving democracies eroded, a breeding ground for scepticism and disillusionment is likely toemerge. And a nation polarized by disinformation becomes a pliable entity susceptible to manipulation, jeopardizing the very essence of democratic governance.

Our call to action, therefore, must not only be for external defence and international collaboration. What today’s challenge demands is most importantly, an internal fortification against the erosion of our societal values. In line with Gandhi’s guiding quote, the protection of the truth in India today, is nothing short of an existential threat to the world’s newest superpower.

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