Daily Times

What if the largest secular federal, proclaimed to be a flag-bearer of liberal democracy having seventh largest landmass, fifth largest economy and 70% literacy rate resorts to negative, regionally intriguing, internationally unlawful and globally dangerous course? What if it falsely propagates against countries having differences with, just to achieve its vested designs? This country is none but India. Yes, the international community has been embarrassed and under-treated by the republic of India.

Recent unearthing of ‘Indian Chronicles’ by EU Disinformation Lab is an unacceptable, irresponsible act of Indian national security and external affairs duo. Ongoing since 2005, the vindictive campaign of disinformation, with a network of over 500 fake media outlets and multitude of think-tanks, given legitimacy and support by Asian News International (ANI); the campaign is aimed at maligning and discrediting both Pakistan and China. The EU disinformation lab discovered at least 13 occasions when ANI published anti-Pakistan and anti-China contents attributing to Members of European Parliament (MEPs). This fake network has been targeting the world community and decision-makers at the UN and EU for Indian designs.

Though the EU report dissociates it with the Indian government, yet the beneficiary is only India. ‘Indian Chronicles’ succeeded well in pricking the mutual trust of global family of nation-states. In 2019, the researchers uncovered 265 pro-Indian sites operating across 65 countries, and traced back to a Delhi-based Indian holding company, the Srivastava Group (SG). Direct links and collusions between SG and number of UN-accredited NGOs, such as United Schools International (USI) and Amsterdam-based think-tank called the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) are alarming.

In modern history, WW-I sensationalized the influence, strength and accomplishments of propaganda. Both fascism and communism in the postwar era remained the axes of powerful and radical propaganda. They wanted hunting maximizing their power and territory beyond their own legitimate national borders using propaganda. Today we see the Indian PM steering his country with same fascist creed – fascism transformed to Modism. On the subject of ‘Indian Chronicles’, New Delhi is dead mute to questions raised by EU, international NGOs and reputed media houses.

Ironically, the world has been drifting towards India being the largest economic market; and, strategically, one of the biggest accumulators of military weaponry raising itself to be the fifth largest military. On the grand-strategic chessboard, India has been rolled out as a counterweight to contain one rising nation in favour of the other power. The prominent nations are mollycoddling India in a delusion that India would symbolize their values of liberal democracy, embracing human dignity and political freedom. Be it nuclear concessions, extensive military hardware despite the rising conventional imbalance, cultural embraces, space technology or alliances and strategic partnerships, India is a patted chick. India may be deserving of big powers’ romanticism due to their economic and strategic compulsions; and, appreciably India has prominent rankings in the statistical and tangible areas as stated earlier. Has a republic to only statistically rank itself higher? No. A mature, internationally inclusive state is to be a responsible state internationally; and it has to be reverent towards international institutions and international norms, respectful of sovereignty of other nations especially its neighbors. What about the Indian ranking in its hollow secularism, utter disregard to human rights, intolerance for non-Hindu faiths, inhumanity to women, cruelty to labourers, violation of UN resolutions, genocide in occupied Kashmir, etc.?

Today’s environment can be characterized with politico-strategic competition, economic regionalism, power-blocking, extremes of either unilateralism or multilateralism, far right-wing national attitude in the garb of nationalism, and military competition. Countries like India with which are proportionately stronger politico-economic clout are making division between peace and war much blurry, engaging in perpetual warfare for their nefarious designs.

Pakistan remains the biggest target of hybrid war by India. Pakistan has sacrificed the most in the global wars in terms of human lives and economy. But the economic interests of powerful nations are undermining these sacrifices; instead they are shaking hands with a country that is the violator of UN resolutions. Indian-sponsored terrorism, its false-flag operations and staged incidents to malign Pakistan are no surprise. Confessed spying and terrorist activities in Pakistan by Indian navy officer and stage-managed Pulwama incident are the examples. Modi and other politicians, military heads and officials like Ajeet Doval have confessed their role in 1971 war and ongoing destabilizing activities in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan and against CPEC. Recently, Pakistan submitted a dossier at the UN with proofs of Indian sponsored terrorist activities. It is now on UN to implement its Charter and pursue international peace and respect of sovereignty of nation-states.

Indian Chronicles does not affect only Pakistan or China; the biggest target is the world community, international organizations and state systems, and the values we are proud of. Result is worse than fallout of any pandemic – a politico-strategic virus that would essentially strangulate international affairs, global values and transnational morals. Mere joint declarations on freedom of expression, disinformation or propaganda do not suffice; such as one made in March 2017 by the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). At country, regional and international levels, everyone is to act to safeguard an absolute human right of true, objective and bonafide information. EU Digital Services Act being issued by the EU is a good step in the right direction.

Time to act..! Pakistan and China are obliged to formulate a multi-prong strategy to counter the 15-year long burden put on by Indian disinformation. Pakistan should engage in active diplomacy not only highlighting Indian revisionist and nefarious designs to other nation-states, but formally take up cases at UN and EU for assistance in investigations, especially funding of all the involved media centres, think-tanks and owner groups of fake websites. Pakistan must then advocate a case in UN, EU and Financial Action Task Force against India. International governmental organisations, UN, EU, ASEAN, SCO, GCC, OIC, ECO, SAARC, BRICS, IORA, and other inter-governmental bodies must nip the evil in the bud; they should institute legal and punitive frameworks, at respective levels, against a state(s) or non-state actor(s) which abuse and ridicule international institutions, and international family… and digitally intrude sovereignty of fellow states and marginalise legitimate rights of its people at international institutions! In this case, India is an offender and must be treated justly.

Being an ally of powerful or in a favourable block should in no way hamper the course of justice. Doing so would only crack the fragile international and regional stability and security. It is a call for the UN, UNHCR, EU and rising powers, which design, influence and maintain world order; they need to wage a war against terrors of disinformation, regional instability and global illicitness being harvested by India that is essentially falling too short of being termed as republic. World powers are to be aware of whom you are shaking hands with. Political economy ought not kill international morals, borders ought not bleed sovereignty.

The writer, an international relations PhD scholar, is a freelancer who writes on foreign policy and diplomacy, national and maritime security subjects.