India is currently facing a relentless information warfare orchestrated by elements of western media

 

India is currently facing a relentless information warfare orchestrated by entities that are hostile to its interests. Numerous news reports have suddenly emerged internationally, suggesting that the Indian government is seeking to address the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun issue. The latest report revolves around a leaked memo supposedly from the Ministry of External Affairs, discussing a crackdown on Sikh activists in the diaspora. However, the authenticity of this memo has been vehemently denied by the MEA, which has labeled it as fabricated and part of a sustained disinformation campaign against India. Independent observers have also highlighted the glaring errors and inconsistencies in the memo, casting doubt on its credibility. It is increasingly evident that these efforts are escalating to substantiate the false narrative of a rogue Indian government plotting to assassinate Pannun on American soil.

 

While the recent discrediting of the memo is significant, it is concerning that the narrative of India engaging in transnational repression may gain traction and potentially impact the strategic partnership between India and the United States. It is crucial to recognize that these efforts aim to portray India in the same light as Russia and China, with the intention of derailing India-US relations. This was evident during a recent hearing of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where Democratic Senator Tim Kaine referenced India's alleged attempt to assassinate Sikh activist Pannun.

 

This situation must be viewed in the context of deliberate misinformation being spread, even by mainstream media outlets in the US, which whitewash Pannun's background. These outlets conveniently omit his threats to bomb Air India, the Indian Parliament, and his involvement in ordering hits on Indian diplomats. It is perplexing that supposedly reputable Western media organizations would overlook these facts when reporting on Pannun. Death threats cannot be dismissed as freedom of speech, and it is apparent that there is an attempt to influence American policy and opinion makers. Western media is subtly painting a picture of Sikhs as an oppressed minority in India while glorifying the Khalistani movement as a struggle for self-determination and justice. For instance, a recent article in Time magazine described Khalistani extremist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a charismatic Sikh leader who vehemently opposed Indian state oppression and gross violations of human rights against minorities. Time portrayed Bhindranwale as a target of the Indian leadership due to their particular suspicion and disdain towards Sikhs, who played a leading role in anti-colonial efforts. To an Indian reader, these claims seem like an alternate history, rife with propaganda and falsehoods. However, for those unfamiliar with the subject, such narratives from a reputed publication like Time can have a significant impact. Indians have even accused The Washington Post of adopting talking points used by Pakistan's ISI and its media outlets to attack India. It appears that the toolkit Greta Thunberg and others sought to activate during the farmers' protests in India has found renewed life.

 

While much of this information warfare stems from Western media's disdain for India's current government, it is fundamentally against India as a whole. The issue of Khalistan predates the current government's tenure, suggesting a larger agenda involving the ISI, with support from China, Pakistan's current benefactor. Their objective seems to be undermining India-US relations and paving the way for the revival of the Khalistan movement in India, this time with Western support. This project, known as ISI's K2, aims to bleed India through the Kashmir and Khalistan issues. However, K2 has been largely unsuccessful in India, as both Punjab and Kashmir remain relatively stable.

 

Another aspect of this information warfare operates on a subtler level, sowing doubts among Americans about India's reliability as a partner against China. Within US think tanks, there are discussions questioning whether India can be trusted to stand with the US in potential military confrontations with China. It is disheartening to think that such doubts are being cast upon India, the only country that has demonstrated the willingness to confront China by stationing its troops in the treacherous Himalayan region for over three years. Interestingly, these doubts were initially planted by individuals of Indian origin in the US, while general American ignorance about India has further fueled the skepticism.

 

Despite the chaff of misinformation and doubt, it is crucial to distinguish it from the core of India-US relations, which is one of the most consequential bilateral relationships of the 21st century. The question that arises is whether the Biden administration possesses the determination and competence to rein in anti-India lobbies, interest groups, and officials within its own administration who pursue their own agendas against India.