Reserving the right to counter foreign media narratives

This way of proceeding is preferable to blunter alternatives, such as prosecuting foreign news organisations for giving offence or expelling their correspondents

- Rahul Sagar

There has been a noticeable change in how much—and how pointedly —the foreign press reports on India. In the past, as the adage had it, a story from the subcontinent wasn't newsworthy unless it involved the death of one American, or ten Englishmen, or a thousand Indians. This outlook changed when the Cold War ended and economic reforms got underway.

As India became a sizeable market and a prospective ally, the foreign press became much more interested in understanding — and shaping — India's rise. Unfortunately, as India’s trajectory has not met the expectations of media elites in places such as New York, London, and Doha, much of this swelling coverage has been critical and aimed at very particular targets —apparently our populists and voters, and our billionaires and mandarins are much naughtier than theirs.

The selective faultfinding would be less concerning were it not for a parallel development. In decades past, reports by foreign correspondents were consumed primarily by audiences in their home countries. This effectively limited the damage caused by any one-sided reporting. But with the arrival of the internet, and smartphones in particular, what global media behemoths publish is now instantly available to millions of readers and viewers around the world.

Why should we be troubled by the real or perceived prejudices of the foreign press? There are three considerations to weigh. First, when the foreign press reports or editorialises selectively to promote its values and interests, it infringes on the right of Indians to determine their own future. Sec-

ond, when the foreign media routinely privileges or bolsters some local interests over others, it interferes in the democratic process. Third, by circulating globally a misleading picture of the country, the foreign press complicates diplomatic and economic relations and thereby hurts national interests.