The latest investigation report, titled "Bad Sources - How Indian news agency ANI quoted sources that do not exist," by independent non-profit organization EU DisinfoLab, published in February 2023, exposes more details and evidences to prove that Asian News International (ANI), an Indian news agency, has been quoting a number of non-existent organizations, journalists and bloggers to spread disinformation that attacks and smears China and Pakistan.
The report further uncovered that India has long been building a huge anti-China and anti-Pakistan disinformation network and that Indian media outlets have built a sophisticated assembly line of fake anti-China and anti-Pakistan news.
In the report, researchers write that ANI has been repeatedly quoting articles and reports issued by a think tank named the International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).
ANI has quoted IFFRAS more than 200 times from May 2021 to January 2023, and "in most instances, it was not only quoting but using the IFFRAS 'reports' as the backbone of the articles," said the report.
EU DisinfoLab further investigated whether the conference attendees at the think tank quoted in the articles actually exist. The investigation report pointed out that more than 70 speakers mentioned in the fake conferences of IFFRAS did not exist at all.
Apart from IFFRAS, the researchers also looked into another think tank frequently quoted by ANI, the Policy Research Group (POREG), in which the researchers found no sign of the existence of three new members who had reportedly joined the group in the last two years. The three people had been quoted by ANI numerous times on topics such as Pakistan's army doctrines and China's "wolf warrior diplomacy," according to the investigation report.
These fabricated figures are used as experts to provide opinions and analysis to further mislead readers and reinforce the false narratives. ANI's articles, containing the disseminated disinformation, are reproduced and shared across various well-established media outlets in India. This amplification of the false narratives through multiple platforms increases their reach and potential impact, potentially influencing a wider audience and shaping public opinion.
The IFFRAS think tank mentioned in the lab report was also found to be linked to the Srivastava Group, as the researchers found that IFFRAS has been registered by using a well-known email address from the Srivastava Group.
The latter is a notorious Indian shell corporation, and the EU DisinfoLab pointed out in its 2020 report that nominally, the group's main business is news media, with offices in Brussels and Geneva, and registrations of more than 750 media, think tanks and more than 550 domain names in 116 countries and regions around the world.
However, the researchers investigated and found that there was no profitable business under the Srivastava Group, and the media and think tanks related to the group basically only had a name but no actual business.
The group is a representative of the disinformation war launched by India against China. Under the lead of the Srivastava Group, which is based overseas in Geneva and Brussels, an information warfare network has been woven, with a number of fake media, think tanks and NGOs all over the world.
The fake news produced by the fake media under the group is also published and reprinted by some Indian media websites such as ANI which increases the reach of the disinformation.
Analysts pointed out that the production of fake news by Indian media not only discredit China and Pakistan, but can incite nationalist sentiment within the country and distract people from the real problems of the country and the poor performance of its government.
Anonymous
Like that, how can India continue to stay in SCO and BRICS?
ReplyDeleteDo not be surprised if India is being replaced in BRICS and SCO.
ReplyDeleteIndia has to make a choice and would not be allowed to have one leg each on two boats.
You cannot have a situation where Modi will tell Putin, friend, I will not reveal anything to the Americans. And similarly tell Biden, friend, I will not reveal anything to the BRICS members.
But what were actually revealed, only the Indians know. This is not tenable.
India is the worst anti China country in all of Asia. Sites like Firstpost and Gravitas spout nothing but anti China propaganda. The system works just like the USA propaganda machine. I have a feeling that news are generated by a main source like in the USA, and disperse to sites like this for broadcasting. They change a sentence or two, but the gist of the propaganda is badmouthing China.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, they even spread lots of fake news during recent floods in China, like the three gorges dam having collapsed and how millions of people died. Also fake news about Russia breaking up with China over certain issues. Lots of fake flashy stuff but no substance, like their Bollywood movies.
As I said earlier, China must avoid India in everything - investments, business set ups, infrastructure projects and keep things close to the chest with regard to India in BRICS.. There are now many more countries in Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Central Asia offering opportunities to invest. Let the USA, other Anglo Saxon Whites, Japan and South Korea invest in India. Let them fight among themselves.
The biggest mistake and horrible thinking is getting India in BRICS. It was a colossal mistake in fact. But blessings in diguise for China that India is not in the BRI. Otherwise China will now be wrangling and wrestling with a snake. Good luck to Japan for all the projects awarded to them by India.
If India can fake university degrees like printing toilet papers as money, what is generating fake news. It is a piece of cake. India learns well from its former colonial master, the Brits, but only all the vile and venomous stuff. Why do Chinese like to say, they trust a snake more than an Indian?
ReplyDeleteBut, can you see the logic of Biden not to talk about human rights with Modi over the Muslim issue in India when they met in Washington? USA talks so much about upholding human rights around the world. A human rights issue is an issue to be brought up. Why refrain from talking about it? If Blinken could even fly to Beijing to talk about human rights, this is pure double standard which the world can clearly see. Between USA and India, from one snake to another, they are the same vile and venomous reptiles, hiding their dirty laundry from the world, keeping it in the pit and nobody will know. India assumes that if the USA does not ask or hype on it, it is acceptable, morally right and just can continue to treat the Muslims in India as collateral damage.
I believe the Muslim world is looking at the two snakes and what they are doing. It was and is all a hypocritical stunt about loving the Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang, but supporting the carrying out of human rights abuses against the Muslims in India. The Muslims around the world must be so glad that they are seeing the real stance of the USA and India towards Muslims.
How could Pakistan, a Muslim country, not continue to be at odds with India. The two countries could never move into a position of peace, the way the Hindus in India are treating the Muslims in India. Even the Sikhs are facing problems with the Hindus. This is another area to be exploited by the USA for igniting a conflict. It is only a question of time.
The game was using Pakistan, a USA supported regime, to tangle with Russian supported India. Now the USA needs India more than Pakistan, and is sacrificing Pakistan and trying to pry India away from Russia. The USA needs India to confront China in the QUAD and is eyeing the Indian market for energy and trade by pushing out Russia.