A look at China’s strategic exploitation of India’s vibrant yet vulnerable media landscape amid tensions over Tibet and sovereignty disputes.

By Dalia Parete | In conversation with Dr. Sriparna Pathak | Published by Lingua Sinica (CMP)

In Brief

A discussion with noted Indian scholar Dr. Sriparna Pathak on Chinese influence in India’s diverse and vast media landscape. Describing the latter as “boisterous and noisy” and a “symbol of how a democracy should work,” Dr. Pathak acknowledges India’s open media presents an easy-access environment for China’s influence operations to exploit through AI-translated content, English-language disinformation farms, academic infiltration, as well as adapting to India’s Chinese-speaking population, minimal as it is. A vulnerable target, Meta has identified India as the highest-risk country for foreign-sourced disinformation, notably from Chinese content farms.

China’s playbook poses a particular problem in this regard, and not just for India. As Dr. Pathak observes:

The general question is: how long can India tolerate this when we have no practical way to push back? As a democracy, we won’t resort to unethical practices, but we also can’t ignore constant attacks. Consequently, India has blocked Chinese social media accounts and content that constantly push anti-India narratives. Even though India is currently the world’s fastest-growing major economy, China continues promoting orientalist stereotypes – “land of snakes and snake charmers.”

Dr. Pathak looks at the diplomatic flashpoint of Tibet in India-China relations, given India’s role as host to the world’s largest Tibetan diaspora, including the Dalai Lama, and the balancing act of reconciling its moral support for Tibetan autonomy with maintaining pragmatic ties to Beijing. Concerns raised include Chinese-sponsored trips to Tibet by Indian journalists who return using Beijing’s terminology—such as “Xizang” for Tibet. This includes bolstering China’s claim on the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh through the term “Zangnan” (藏南), meaning “South of Tibet,” a deliberate linguistic framing that positions the region as an extension of historical Tibet—and thus, by Beijing’s assertion, inherently subject to Chinese Communist Party authority.

Another provocation is the disparate media landscapes the two countries operate in. India’s Constitution protects press freedom, allowing independent outlets and social media to confront narratives—a stark contrast to China’s imprisoned journalists, says Dr. Pathak. While China leverages India’s digital openness for influence, India’s media transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi—marked by accessibility and regional inclusivity—faces challenges balancing growth with combating disinformation. The resilience of India’s democratic pluralism contrasts sharply with China’s authoritarian control, even as both nations grapple with media’s evolving role in geopolitics.

Read the interview in full at the publisher’s website here.

Dr. Sriparna Pathak

Dr. Sriparna Pathak is a Professor of China Studies and a Senior Fellow at the Jindal India Institute at O.P. Jindal Global University. She holds a doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for East Asian Studies and previously worked as a policy consultant at India’s Ministry of External Affairs and as a journalist for the Indian Express. Her research focuses on China’s domestic economy, India-China economic relations, and China’s global foreign policy.

Dalia Parete

Dalia is a CMP researcher with a background in Chinese foreign policy and Taiwan studies. She previously worked at the European Union Institute for Security Studies, the Royal United Service Institute, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

ABOUT LINGUA SINICA

Lingua Sinica is a research outlet launched by the China Media Project (CMP) that looks at a wide range of issues in the Chinese-language media beyond the PRC. It aims to support and amplify independent voices in the broader global Chinese-language media ecosystem, strengthening democracy by empowering and connecting independent creative and journalistic voices. The project builds on CMP’s longstanding reputation and expertise in monitoring the PRC media environment.