State Department behind anti-India media report

Rogue, but influential, officials in the US State Department, closely associated with those pressure and lobbying groups identified as "anti-India", were behind the recent report published in a US-based media outlet, the Washington Post, alleging how the Indian government and "agents" of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) unsuccessfully tried to do in Male in Maldives what the State Department successfully did in Dhaka, Bangladesh-bring in a regime change.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Senior intelligence official sources who spoke to The Sunday Guardian said that the article, which they claim was dictated by these rogue State Department officials, has been made up with the twin objectives of creating a negative perception about Delhi, alleging how it is trying to "flex its muscles" in the neighbourhood. This narrative, officials said, has been in play for a long time now, the manifestation of which has become stronger after India decided to stay neutral and unbiased while handling the US-Russia dispute over Ukraine. These Washington-based officials are not comfortable with what they feel is India's growing assertiveness, said an official who has been observing these developments for a long time now.

The second objective of the said media report was to show the "limited" capability of India and how it failed to bring about a regime change in the Maldives despite trying hard.