India’s War on Truth: Criticizing & Silencing International Media to Bury Dissent

As international media exposes the cracks in India’s democratic façade, the Modi government responds not with answers—but with censorship, coercion, and control.

In a disturbing shift toward authoritarianism, India—once celebrated as the world’s largest democracy—has launched an aggressive campaign to silence international media. Following its recent military failures against Pakistan, the Modi-led government has turned its attention to burying criticism rather than confronting uncomfortable truths.

Under the guise of national security and “anti-disinformation” drives, India has ordered social media platforms to block over 8,000 accounts, including respected outlets such as BBC Urdu, Maktoob Media, and The Wire. These platforms were penalized for reporting on India’s alleged human rights abuses and military blunders.

In many cases, journalists were targeted personally. Anuradha Bhasin and Muzamil Jaleel, for example, faced account suspensions, while others were branded as traitors. Independent voices were deliberately drowned out to maintain a tightly controlled nationalist narrative.

Social media giants, including X (formerly Twitter), received direct threats of fines and arrest of their Indian employees if they did not comply with government censorship orders. X publicly stated that the Indian government provided no evidence to justify the mass blocking, sparking global concerns over the erosion of press freedom.

Domestic media, meanwhile, played a complicit role. Channels like Times Now, Republic TV, and Zee News peddled outlandish, unverified claims such as “26 Pakistani cities destroyed” or “Karachi Port wiped out,” while completely dismissing credible international reporting as part of a “Western conspiracy.”

Such disinformation is not isolated—it is encouraged. Retired military figures like Major Gaurav Arya openly called for the destruction of Pakistani cities on air, echoing state-aligned jingoism that rewards hate over honest discourse.

Globally, condemnation has been swift and damning. Reporters Without Borders ranks India 151st in press freedom, while Freedom House downgraded the country’s democratic rating. The V-Dem Institute now classifies India as a “top autocratizer”, citing increased censorship, harassment, and misuse of anti-terror laws to silence dissent.

This crackdown reveals a regime deeply threatened by transparency. Rather than address criticism, India now weaponizes IT laws, targets journalists, and replaces facts with nationalist fiction. Dissent is labeled treason, and the pursuit of truth has become a punishable offense.

The Modi government’s assault on journalism is more than a national issue—it is a global one. As international media continues to resist suppression, the world must confront a sobering reality: India’s democratic decline is no longer a warning—it’s a fact unfolding in real-time.