1. You're having expectations from wrong ministry. Its the job of Information and Broadcasting ministry and Ministry of Home Affairs to handle Information warfare. While MHA can set the priority, it becomes I&B's responsibility to have robust pipeline for disseminating information. This includes SM too.
The problem here is at the least two fold:
A) Fragmentation of roles and responsibilities. While regulating I&B covers flow of info, the IW should be under National security and public order, which is purview of MHA. With use of bots, targeted campaigns.. this overlaps with cyber domain and the technical aspects will need Meity's involvement. The problem is even inside MHA, I&B etc.. these are fragmented desks.
IW has become enough of a threat to deserve its own dedicated task force , with its own recruitment pipeline and SOP. But what we have is SSC recruited babus. Its wrong to expect babus to be savvy enough to handle this. When same babu have to push files for their regular post too. In the name of fact checking, they probably have a 40-50 year old overseeing the desk/unit with a few couple of Grade-B and C employee deputed there. With the nature of work ( no SOP/established KPIs to quantify the amount of work done), they probably get taken as a time pass job with making them work for other stuff. Include the understaffing of ministries due to SSC fiasco, it piles up.
B) Indian Beauracracy doesn't just stifle India's growth momentum. It stifles itself. Red Tapism hampers proper staffing, training, flexibility needed to counter the evolving nature of threats.
What we need is a dedicated task force, with 100-150 employees encompassing.. SM savvy people to monitor #, viral videos, track the usual suspects on SM. Cyber experts to decode the network deployed for the campaigns, weed out bots, deploy bots to counter IW etc. Marketing peeps to decide how to disseminate information and communicating with public. And most importantly, the backbone, we need research oriented people who can dig deep into an issue, find the subtle manipulation for narrative and debunk it.
Honestly, citizens are doing better job without getting paid, to counter IW than the ministries. If they could just recruit these people... They won't have a problem. I see wonderful people going as far as reading history, documented judgements, incidents, policies to give proper details. Not IT cell type reel narrative. If they can get access to state resources/info access.. its like giving wings to them. Don't even need to hold recruitment exams
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MEA is doing its job fine. Its team maintain info channel to tackle its role and responsibilities. Its I&B and MHA that's *censored*ing up big time. Especially I&B with its third grade PIB fact check desk. They are handling 21st century threats with 20th century procedures and mindset.
2. Coming to what actions can be taken against BD:
Kinetic actions, as I said in earlier post.. if it involves military.. you need a campaign which dwarfs gaza, otherwise you will have 100's of gaza inside bangladesh. You need a state capable to absorb the international ramifications from the optics, human rights , diplomacy which will arise out of the sheer public destruction. BD doesn't have the depth to absorb even artillery fire without significant deaths. Unlike indo-pak border. So, the casualties.. India won't go for it. Ever. Unless it finds itself cornered on all sides.
So, that leaves targeted operations.. operations with involvement of Surgical strike units for quick in and out. Target people, buildings. Not region. which will mean taking out the nodes. For that, you first need near impenetrable border infra against migrants. Not military. That means fencing, integrated grids. Not artillery posts. Since, let's say, an israel like bombing of Hamas in Qatar, but targeting jamat, ISI HQ in BD will make people migrate out of fear, given the nature of terrain and history.
Unknown gunmen is not optimum for BD, as we need to assert and send dominant messaging to deter forces operating inside BD. Meaning Indian state have to own it. That should be focused and public pressure be directed at. Surgical operations.
And let's not forget, uncle Sam has interest in BD for its own reason. So, need a leverage or a bait for them. This is what I personally haven't been able to think of. The leverage or bait. Since, I don't know the extent and nature of Sam's interest in BD. Under whose patronage, yunus and ISI find themselves in since 2024. I won't consider China here, since they are active adversary and military on northern frontier is the solution and deterrence there.
