Understanding the PRC’s Information Operations Against India

Abstract

This paper examines how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) uses information as an instrument of strategic warfare, across military and non-military domains, in the pursuit of strategic advantage over India. Beijing’s ‘information operations’ encompass the creation, manipulation, or selective use of information to discredit New Delhi’s international profile, advance territorial claims, and show the PRC in a favourable light to domestic and international audiences. The PRC’s diplomatic missions, State/Party-owned & affiliated media organizations, and social media users play an important role in amplifying this pro-PRC narrative. This paper therefore elaborates on the tactics adopted by the above actors in deploying an information operation, ranging from the use of falsely attributed material, the targeting of India’s leaders, and the creation of deepfakes. While it is difficult to quantify the success of these information operations, they are of consequence to India’s domestic stability and global strategic outlook, and further engender a hostile international environment. Given the PRC’s capacity to disrupt India's information ecosystem and infrastructure, this paper recommends that India’s deterrence strategy should focus on technological resilience, raising public awareness, and enhancing international cooperation.