Following preliminary research in 2019, a European group has exposed a vast Indian disinformation network working targeting international institutions. The network, named “Indian Chronicles” by the group that exposed, has been serving Indian interests by disseminating anti-Pakistan narratives for 15 years.
The EU DisinfoLab revealed these findings on Wednesday in an extensive public report.
“This network is active in Brussels and Geneva in producing and amplifying content to undermine – primarily – Pakistan,” states the Lab.
According to the report, the disinformation network has been operating since 2005. Run by the Srivastava Group and amplified by Asian News International (ANI), the network is currently operational.
ANI, one of India’s largest news networks, has been charged with repackaging and publishing the fake news reports generated by the EU.
“Once repackaged by ANI News, the content from EU Chronicle is reproduced by other major Indian outlets, then reaching a domestic audience in India,” the EU DisinfoLab explains.
The network runs at least 750 fake media outlets and the names of multiple defunct organization to amplify its interests. It also runs at least 500 domain names for the dissemination of fake new. Additionally, the network impersonated Louis B. Sohn, a professor of international human rights; the professor died in 2006.
The report by the DisinfoLab reveals that the operation is spread over at least 116 countries and has targeted members of the European Parliament and the United Nations.
In addition to targetting Pakistan, the network also espoused anti-China sentiments throught the dissemination of inauthentic pro-India news. The network of disinformation has been sustained by the cycle of multitudes of fake news websites citing each other as sources.
