Leverage Media As A Strategic Tool To Counter Divisive Forces: Experts

India’s national security faces a silent yet potent threat from the fourth front—internal forces fuelling misinformation and divisive narratives. Countering this challenge demands leveraging media as a strategic tool to protect unity and uphold the nation’s sovereignty

Bharat’s national security is under unprecedented pressure, grappling with a complex and evolving landscape of challenges on four critical fronts. These include traditional threats from Pakistan, territorial tensions with China, strategic concerns with Bangladesh, and a growing internal dimension. Among these, the internal front emerges as the most insidious and significant, involving forces within our society.

Internal Threats: The Fourth Front against Bharat

These threats are not conventional enemies but misaligned citizens & organisations such as—Media houses, politicians and their political parties, celebrities, NGOs, university professors, and others—who, driven by various motivations such as power, money, international recognition & awards, or personal agendas, have aligned themselves with forces seeking to weaken or fragment Bharat. Popularly known as “tukde-tukde gang” among nationalists, these anti-national elites have exploited social media and public platforms to sow discord, often amplifying narratives that are detrimental to national interests.

Bharat’s Narrative Deficit

According to internal security experts at the Jaipur Dialogues (TJD) Summit 2024, Bharat has often failed to take the lead in setting the narrative. As Tilak Devasher, author of four widely acclaimed books on Pakistan and a former Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, pointed out, India’s approach to narrative-building remains overly “bureaucratic” and slow. “Our reactions are outdated. By the time we release a narrative, it is already too late,” he observed while speaking at the recently concluded TJD 2024 Summit.

Indian bureaucracy continues to rely on press releases and traditional methods of communication, while adversaries have rapidly exploited modern media to shape perceptions. This inability to harness the media as a strategic tool has allowed misinformation to flourish, often leaving India on the defensive in the battle of narratives.

Media as an “Element of National Power”

Devasher underscores the importance of recognising media as an “element of national power.” He argues that by integrating media into national strategy, India can effectively counter misinformation and project a stronger narrative. “If we start considering media as an element of national power, we can harness it far more effectively,” he said.

However, a key barrier to this approach lies in bureaucratic resistance. The fear of information leaks and concerns about job security have made the system hesitant to embrace the media fully. Devasher believes that if India adopts the proactive media strategies of other nations, it could emerge as a leader in media-driven narrative warfare.

The Three Sources of Fake Narratives

Tilak Devasher identifies three primary sources of fake narratives targeting India, each posing unique challenges. The first is Pakistan, a long-standing adversary known for its relentless efforts to spread misinformation and discredit India on the global stage. The second is the West backed deep state, comprising shadowy networks that seek to destabilise India through covert operations and carefully crafted disinformation campaigns. However, the most concerning threat comes from within—India’s citizens. Devasher emphasises that in their zeal to criticise the government, these individuals and organisations fail to distinguish between opposing a regime and harming the nation’s interests. Motivated by personal agendas or external influences, these individuals jeopardise national unity and security for short-term gains, creating an internal front that is perhaps the most challenging to counter.

The War of Narratives

Winning the battle of narratives requires a multi-level strategy tailored to specific sources of misinformation. Devasher emphasises the principle of “horses for courses,” advocating for targeted responses to both internal and external threats.

He also highlights the critical role of speed in information warfare. “It’s all about who has the fastest finger on the trigger. The story or narrative that is dispensed first often dominates because of the short attention span of audiences,” he noted. To succeed, India must adopt a proactive approach to information dissemination, ensuring that its narrative reaches audiences before false narratives take root.

A Relentless Battle

Information warfare is not a battle that can be fought sporadically. “The battle of information warfare” must be fought relentlessly—“every day, every hour,” Devasher asserts. Stepping back, even temporarily, risks losing the war entirely.

India must remain vigilant, employing tools like social media monitoring, strategic communication, and robust legal frameworks to counter misinformation. Equally important is fostering public awareness and educating citizens on discerning fact from fiction, thereby reducing the impact of fake narratives.

Safeguarding Sovereignty Through Unity

Ultimately, defending India in the age of information warfare requires acknowledging the media’s role in defending the national interest. By recognising the power of media and utilising it strategically, India can counter misinformation, protect its national interests, and preserve its sovereignty against multifaceted challenges.

The message is clear: media is not merely a tool for communication but a formidable “element of national power”, and thus, to secure Bharat’s future, it must be harnessed effectively and without delay.

(The author is Founder of My Startup TV)