New Delhi: After facing a defeat by Pakistan, India has initiated a crackdown on international media outlets that have reported on its military actions and human rights practices.

Kashmir Media Service reports that the Modi government accused journalists of spreading “disinformation” and has blocked platforms, threatened legal action, and promoted state-aligned narratives to suppress external scrutiny.

Since the war concluded on May 10, more than 8,000 social media accounts have been blocked under India’s stringent IT laws. The government ordered X, formerly known as Twitter, to block accounts belonging to global news organizations such as BBC Urdu, Maktoob Media, and The Wire. These outlets were accused of portraying military actions unfavorably and labeled as anti-national.

Independent media like The Wire faced bans for citing reports from CNN on the ongoing border tensions. Similarly, BBC Urdu’s account was withheld. Journalists, including Anuradha Bhasin and Muzamil Jaleel, encountered account suspensions with accusations of treason.

Social media companies were warned of potential fines and arrests of local employees if they did not comply with the blocking orders. X stated that the government did not provide evidence for these orders, while journalists like Siddharth Varadarajan criticized the actions as unconstitutional attacks on press freedom.

Meanwhile, Indian media outlets such as Times Now, Zee News, and Republic TV have propagated unverified claims, including reports of significant destruction in Pakistan, while dismissing international media reports as biased. Retired Major Gaurav Arya has made inflammatory statements encouraging aggressive actions, reflecting a state-supported stance.

This information was sourced from Kashmir Media Service.