India disinformation network spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda, says European watchdog

[Lonewarrior]

Over 265 fake local news sites in more than 65 countries are managed by an Indian influence network.

How could you know that your local news website, such as newyorkmorningtelegraph.com, thedublingazette.com, or timesofportugal.com serves Indian governmental interests?

Here’s the story of how we uncovered this network designed to influence the EU and the UN by repeatedly criticising Pakistan.

In early October, the European External Action Service’s East StratCom (the EU Disinformation Task Force) revealed that – eptoday.com – the website of a self-proclaimed magazine for the European Parliament in Brussels – had been re-publishing a large amount of news directly from Russia Today and Voice of America. Among this syndicated content, we unexpectedly found a large number of articles and op-eds related to minorities in Pakistan as well as other India-related matters.

EU DisinfoLab quickly discovered that EP Today is managed by Indian stakeholders, with ties to a large network of think tanks, NGOs, and companies from the Srivastava Group. We also found that the IP address of the Srivastava Group is also home to the obscure online media “New Delhi Times” and the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies (IINS), which are all based at the same address in New Delhi, India.

A few weeks later, 27 Members of the European Parliament were invited by IINS to visit Kashmir and to meet with Prime Minister Modi. This was covered by the press, and journalists began to link our discovery to the funders and organisers of this “controversial visit”, the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies (IINS) and the direct entourage of EP Today.

Using OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) techniques, we continued our investigation into this network, and this led us to Geneva, where the UN Refugee Agency has its headquarters. There, we discovered timesofgeneva.com – an online “newspaper” that is “approaching 35 years in business”. Strangely enough, Times of Geneva publishes the same type of content as EP Today and produces videos covering events and demonstrations criticising Pakistan’s role in the Kashmir conflict.

We found hard evidence that both EP Today and Times of Geneva have extremely strong ties with a network of NGOs and think tanks, such as the European Organization for Pakistani Minorities (EOPM), and Pakistani Women’s Human Rights Organization. Specifically, the websites of these NGOs and think tanks are hosted on the same servers and/or staff have worked for one of these previous organisations while publishing articles for EP Today. We also proved that the two influence networks (Brussels and Geneva) were interconnected by discovering links between website registration addresses, email addresses, and domain names.

In view of this, both networks serve lobbying interests, with Brussels towards the European Union, and Geneva towards the United Nations – all achieved while providing extended visibility to former MEPs and MPs. These organisations have been active for several years (at least since 2010 for EP Today).

full detail -


https://www.disinfo.eu/2019/11/13/uncovered:-265-coordinated-fake-local-media-outlets-serving-indian-interests/

 

[Pakistanian]

Not surprised, this is what those H1B wage slaves are actually doing.

 

[msaaim89]

[MENTION=76058]cricketjoshila[/MENTION] are you part of this?

 

[Lonewarrior]

india is the world's biggest factory of fake news and spin doctors ....

 

[DoosraTeesra]

Not surprised at all. India churns out the most fake news in the world. This expose was needed

 

[Syed1]

I knew Indians were delusional and ignorant, but even I underestimated their level. 1.5 billion people believe that a guy flying a 1950s jet can take down a top of the line F-16 without even firing a missile, while the F-16 is backed by several other jets and electronic jammers/blinders.

 

[WebGuru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Detailed, damning investigation using open source material by <a href="https://twitter.com/DisinfoEU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DisinfoEU</a> ... puts together how a group of right wing, even fringe European Members of Parliament were feted by Delhi and taken on a guided tour of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kashmir</a> - among other influence operations <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/disinformation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#disinformation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OSINT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OSINT</a> <a href="https://t.co/qiF5Zfpudq">https://t.co/qiF5Zfpudq</a></p>— Maya Mirchandani (@maya206) <a href="https://twitter.com/maya206/status/1194612012363313152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[KingKhanWC]

Thousands of geeks sat in India spreading fake news for the great shupparameshpowar Bharat Hindustan.

This is targetting outsiders, not Indian. They will believe whatever Modi says but not sure smart westerners will fall for these lies.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Among this syndicated content, we unexpectedly found a large number of articles and op-eds related to minorities in Pakistan as well as other India-related matters.

Funnily enough, Mamoon was discussing minorities in Pakistan in a thread about the Babri Masjid just today.

Only thing is, I don't get why is it worth spending so much money spewing out negative content about Pakistan? Is there going to be a big payback on this investment at some point?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Funnily enough, Mamoon was discussing minorities in Pakistan in a thread about the Babri Masjid just today.

Only thing is, I don't get why is it worth spending so much money spewing out negative content about Pakistan? Is there going to be a big payback on this investment at some point?

Imo.

1. When you have Modi living in a fantasy land where STRHEGHTH is spelt in his own way, clouds are so powerful they can deter radar, he was sending emails and using digi cameras before they were invented, negative content against Pakistan is mild as a chicken tikka curry from an English restuarant. Its nothing to be ashamed of for Indians.

2. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. Indians feels their own population are believing so lets try this on the western nations.

3. India is scared of Pakistan.

 

[JaDed]

Not surprised, this is what those H1B wage slaves are actually doing.

I’m on H1B , plz enlighten what you are talking about in detail.

Are you saying American companies are paying Indians on H1B to do this?
If not maybe you should go home ,whine.

 

[kk1992]

Third party exposing RSS/BJP, again? Shocking.

When you are committing crime as a nation you need to churn out fake, false, fabricated facts and news to get support for your illegal and immoral crimes or to muddy the pool of true facts that would go against.

Many countries have done it in the past, the difference is that most of the nation immaturely believed whatever their government told them to believe but in India, most intentionally support the government despite knowing their government (RSS/BJP) is at wrong.

 

[WebGuru]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/owJYWG8PJM">https://t.co/owJYWG8PJM</a> led us to the Twitter account of the European Organisation for Pakistani Minorities (EOPM) - another NGO focused on the same issues. (5/8) <a href="https://t.co/kl75whs1ip">https://t.co/kl75whs1ip</a></p>— EU DisinfoLab&#55356;&#56810;&#55356;&#56826; (@DisinfoEU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisinfoEU/status/1192381419949035520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And guess what...EOPM is registered in Brussels at the same address as… wait for it… EP Today, Srivastava Group, and ICIRC (the International Council For Inter-Religious Cooperation) (7/8) <a href="https://t.co/e8tiBx3K0s">pic.twitter.com/e8tiBx3K0s</a></p>— EU DisinfoLab&#55356;&#56810;&#55356;&#56826; (@DisinfoEU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisinfoEU/status/1192381448042491904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[cricketjoshila]

Isnt this just another Ngo?

 

[MenInG]

Rubbish personal posts deleted.

 

[ahsan17]

Not really surprising. You can see a lot of their public spread false information online, and their government has been caught with their pants down a few times over the last 3 years lying quite openly.

 

[MenInG]

Very troubling and should be an eye opener for many.

 

[Professor]

If they are doing this at a global level, just imagine the level of Anti-Pakistan propaganda being directed at the local Indian audience. No wonder the average Indian social media user seems to have intense/irrational hatred for Pakistan.

 

[kk1992]

If they are doing this at a global level, just imagine the level of Anti-Pakistan propaganda being directed at the local Indian audience. No wonder the average Indian social media user seems to have intense/irrational hatred for Pakistan.

Easiest thing to do for the Politician and Media in India.

And both of them are caking off of it.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Indian media is cancerous and Bollywood is a disgusting propaganda machine.

Over the years, these two outlets are selling lies to Indian public (and worldwide).

I won't be surprised if certain posters at PP are paid Indian shills.

Pathetic and cringe worthy.

 

[troodon]

What India cannot do. The fake media outlets are determining US policy in South Asia.

So the fact that evidence found by US and EU against Pakistan has nothing to do with their policy.

The delusion is too much here.

 

[troodon]

Indian media is cancerous and Bollywood is a disgusting propaganda machine.

Over the years, these two outlets are selling lies to Indian public (and worldwide).

I won't be surprised if certain posters at PP are paid Indian shills.

Pathetic and cringe worthy.

How is Bollywood selling its propaganda to West? Please elaborate.

 

[troodon]

I’m on H1B , plz enlighten what you are talking about in detail.

Are you saying American companies are paying Indians on H1B to do this?
If not maybe you should go home ,whine.

H1B slaves spreading fake news in the West. Just shows how much these guys know about H1B

 

[Technics 1210]

This is not even news. Hindutva keyboard warriors are well known. The problem for Hindutva soldiers is that they may dupe the 750 Million who are uneducated in India, but outside of India, we know better than to fall for Saffron propaganda.

 

[kk1992]

What India cannot do. The fake media outlets are determining US policy in South Asia.

So the fact that evidence found by US and EU against Pakistan has nothing to do with their policy.

The delusion is too much here.

There you go, again.

Calling other delusional while you are suffering from the severe case.

You have clearly failed to understand what Indian government RSS/BJP trying to do vs what US and EU policies are.

 

[ahsan17]

What India cannot do. The fake media outlets are determining US policy in South Asia.

So the fact that evidence found by US and EU against Pakistan has nothing to do with their policy.

The delusion is too much here.

It is clearly mentioned what they think the goal is here: The EU DisinfoLab team believes the goal of this global network of fake news organizations was to influence international institutions, elected representatives, and public perceptions on Pakistan by multiplying the same negative anti-Pakistan press coverage.

You are of course deflecting (1,599,374,258,394th time an Indian is deflecting) instead of staying on topic. India wants far worse things to happen than what US and EU have done. That is of course what these websites are pushing. E.g. FATF blacklist.

 

[cricketjoshila]

It is clearly mentioned what they think the goal is here: The EU DisinfoLab team believes the goal of this global network of fake news organizations was to influence international institutions, elected representatives, and public perceptions on Pakistan by multiplying the same negative anti-Pakistan press coverage.

You are of course deflecting (1,599,374,258,394th time an Indian is deflecting) instead of staying on topic. India wants far worse things to happen than what US and EU have done. That is of course what these websites are pushing. E.g. FATF blacklist.

EU disinfo lab is a ngo. Its word is not gospel truth

 

[cricketjoshila]

H1B slaves spreading fake news in the West. Just shows how much these guys know about H1B

1. They hate the money indians make in silicon valley.

2. They hate that pakistanis cannot get as many H1b .

 

[cricketjoshila]

If they are doing this at a global level, just imagine the level of Anti-Pakistan propaganda being directed at the local Indian audience. No wonder the average Indian social media user seems to have intense/irrational hatred for Pakistan.

Yes, as if pakistanis didnot carry out 26/11 attacks and as if pakistanis do not support an armed separatist terrorist movement in India.As if we haven't fought 4 wars?

 

[ahsan17]

EU disinfo lab is a ngo. Its word is not gospel truth

It looks true though. EU Disinfo Lab is just exposing these websites. After looking at the evidence EU disinfo Lab has posted, I can analyze it myself. The people running these websites resurrected dead media websites, created ones that sound similar to other ones, and all of them post pro-India and many times anti-Pakistan propaganda. That is as strong evidence as you can expect short of an admission.

 

[ahsan17]

1. They hate the money indians make in silicon valley.

2. They hate that pakistanis cannot get as many H1b .

Separate story, but it looks like half the Indians in silicon valley are trying desperately to immigrate to Canada and other western countries because converting H1B to green card will take them 50+ years the way things are now. Even with the bill that has not passed yet, it will take 10+ years.

 

[cricketjoshila]

It looks true though. EU Disinfo Lab is just exposing these websites. After looking at the evidence EU disinfo Lab has posted, I can analyze it myself. The people running these websites resurrected dead media websites, created ones that sound similar to other ones, and all of them post pro-India and many times anti-Pakistan propaganda. That is as strong evidence as you can expect short of an admission.

Evidence can be twisted.

Thats why in most courts you have to present the chain of events to the evidence collected.

This is like a one sided story. None us know the other side.

 

[ahsan17]

Evidence can be twisted.

Thats why in most courts you have to present the chain of events to the evidence collected.

This is like a one sided story. None us know the other side.

These things will never get discussed in courts. You know that and I know that. When it comes to foreign affairs, nothing gets discussed in courts. If there is another side to the story, let's hear it. Those running those websites can easily post rebuttals (like any other media outlet would) if they think they are being lied about.

 

[Majid Khan]

Interesting that Turkish media are highlighting this, but barely any coverage of this in Pakistani media so far -

https://www.trtworld.com/asia/india...ets-pakistan-says-european-watchdog-31371/amp

 

[Abdullah719]

Additional Open Source Findings on Indian Influence Operations against Pakistan

https://insider.pk/featured/additio...ngs-on-indian-influence-ops-against-pakistan/

Interesting.

 

[Captain caveman]

Yet another shameful day for india!!!

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

1. They hate the money indians make in silicon valley.

2. They hate that pakistanis cannot get as many H1b .

Yes because of course Indian worth is measured by H1B visa for US. I am thinking of starting a business selling t-shirts to Indian market: American Approved Indian.

Could maybe extend the range to badges and flags as well.

 

[Professor]

Yes, as if pakistanis didnot carry out 26/11 attacks and as if pakistanis do not support an armed separatist terrorist movement in India.As if we haven't fought 4 wars?

Even if I agree to all your points, do you really think India doesn't do the same? ? Do you actually believe that Kulbushan Yadav was an innocent businessmen that was kidnapped and India has no involvement in Baluchistan? Point is both countries have been involved in in creating unrest but India media and their propaganda makes it seem like India is made up of angels while Pakistan is some sort of evil demonic nation.

Just go to Altnews.in which is an Indian site and see how much misinformation is spread about Pakistan and Muslims as a whole on mainstream India media.

 

[Professor]

Evidence can be twisted.

Thats why in most courts you have to present the chain of events to the evidence collected.

This is like a one sided story. None us know the other side.

Serious question, according to you can an Indian or India do anything wrong? I mean clear evidence is provided that these fake news sites are being used to propagate hate against Pakistan but you still refuse to believe it.

 

[Mian]

Even if I agree to all your points, do you really think India doesn't do the same? ? Do you actually believe that Kulbushan Yadav was an innocent businessmen that was kidnapped and India has no involvement in Baluchistan? Point is both countries have been involved in in creating unrest but India media and their propaganda makes it seem like India is made up of angels while Pakistan is some sort of evil demonic nation.

Just go to Altnews.in which is an Indian site and see how much misinformation is spread about Pakistan and Muslims as a whole on mainstream India media.

Indians and their media love to exaggerate things. Yesterday in Congress hearing about Kashmir the lady from indian govt side had nothing to say except shouting and throwing terms like islamic radicalization and making Kashmir looks like a heaven for terrorists.

She was asked why govt of india is not allowing journalists and instead of answering she came up with who is going to make sure they are safe in Kashmir? She was given a shut cup call by the Sikh human right activist when he said Journalists have covered places like Syria and Afghanistan in wars and they know how to handle situations.

 

[srh]

I’m on H1B , plz enlighten what you are talking about in detail.

Are you saying American companies are paying Indians on H1B to do this?
If not maybe you should go home ,whine.

I thought you were in Canada

 

[JaDed]

I thought you were in Canada

I visit Canada coz my parents and partner but haven't worked there yet.

 

[ElRaja]

why is this surprising

got to twitter, any website that allows comments, even pakistani sites like dawn who covet indian hits

all the comments are dominated by blinkered Indians who will try to discredit anything that shows indias weaknesses or promote anything which is pro indian, or vice versa from pakistan

you cant compete against a billion and a half people, unless u are israel, whose cyber army is pbly the best in the world.

 

[Captain caveman]

Indians have poisoned the internet, with their fake news, abusive comments on social media sites and the viruses and hackware they have created.

In hindsight, india should have never been given access to the inernet!

 

[Captain caveman]

Indians have poisoned the internet, with their fake news, abusive comments on social media sites and the viruses and hackware they have created.

In hindsight, india should have never been given access to the inernet!

Cheap smartphones, cheap data and cheap indians is a receipe for disaster!

 

[PakLFC]

Of course India is the biggest liar and cheat in the world. They are the champions of fake news https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/india-elections-disinformation.html according to independent analysts. If Indian media says something then believe the exact opposite to be the truth.

 

[Captain caveman]

Of course India is the biggest liar and cheat in the world. They are the champions of fake news https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/opinion/india-elections-disinformation.html according to independent analysts. If Indian media says something then believe the exact opposite to be the truth.

It is not completely the indians fault, lying has become so ingrained in indian culture,
mentaliy, they no longer realise that they are doing so.
Indians motto:
If you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth.

 

[Technics 1210]

It is not completely the indians fault, lying has become so ingrained in indian culture,
mentaliy, they no longer realise that they are doing so.
Indians motto:
If you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth.

I say the 750+ Million uneducated/illiterate Indians are the prime target for propaganda. RSS see these 750M+ not just as votes, but as Hindutva soldiers too. Tragically they fall for the propaganda to the extent they cannot distinguish between right or wrong, simply because, they do not know how to.

This is the only reason why Modi gets away with his ridiculous comments, whether it be his spelling, outrages scientific claims, to using email when T-Rex roamed the earth. If Modi said these things in any other country, he'd be ridiculed for life, but not in India, no, in India, he is anointed for sainthood.

As the saying goes, education is the silver bullet.

 

[Captain caveman]

I say the 750+ Million uneducated/illiterate Indians are the prime target for propaganda. RSS see these 750M+ not just as votes, but as Hindutva soldiers too. Tragically they fall for the propaganda to the extent they cannot distinguish between right or wrong, simply because, they do not know how to.

This is the only reason why Modi gets away with his ridiculous comments, whether it be his spelling, outrages scientific claims, to using email when T-Rex roamed the earth. If Modi said these things in any other country, he'd be ridiculed for life, but not in India, no, in India, he is anointed for sainthood.

As the saying goes, education is the silver bullet.

I agree with what you say and we should not be angry with the poor people who are being deceived but pity them.
But whats really worrying is the well educated people who also believe these lies, like our friend dr [MENTION=76058]cricketjoshila[/MENTION]

 

[PakLFC]

It is not completely the indians fault, lying has become so ingrained in indian culture,
mentaliy, they no longer realise that they are doing so.
Indians motto:
If you tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth.

Everyone lies but in India it's a state policy. I mean they are openly killing Kashmiris yet continue to deny it by blaming Pakistan/is.

 

[srh]

I visit Canada coz my parents and partner but haven't worked there yet.

good to know; I also sometimes think about going to US to work but not ready to go with family

 

[kk1992]

I say the 750+ Million uneducated/illiterate Indians are the prime target for propaganda. RSS see these 750M+ not just as votes, but as Hindutva soldiers too. Tragically they fall for the propaganda to the extent they cannot distinguish between right or wrong, simply because, they do not know how to.

This is the only reason why Modi gets away with his ridiculous comments, whether it be his spelling, outrages scientific claims, to using email when T-Rex roamed the earth. If Modi said these things in any other country, he'd be ridiculed for life, but not in India, no, in India, he is anointed for sainthood.

As the saying goes, education is the silver bullet.

I disagree, met plenty of educated RSS supporters who hide their true intention, promoting hindutva ideology, behind the veil of economy.

They know what they are doing and what they are supporting.

 

[JaDed]

good to know; I also sometimes think about going to US to work but not ready to go with family

Never give up your Canadian citizenship, you can utilize T5 .. I have a Canadian colleague that is old and he married an American citizen, he us not giving up his Canadian citizenship and somehow they are not giving him dual one.

Free healthcare(for expensive ones) is hard to give up, he is old.

 

[Technics 1210]

I disagree, met plenty of educated RSS supporters who hide their true intention, promoting hindutva ideology, behind the veil of economy.

They know what they are doing and what they are supporting.

My friend, I was referring to the *prime* targets of 750M+

The demographic you refer to are *secondary* targets.

It's a pyramid of deception from top to bottom, the 750M+ represent the base of this pyramid, with the educated and powerful closer to the apex.

 

[kk1992]

My friend, I was referring to the *prime* targets of 750M+

The demographic you refer to are *secondary* targets.

It's a pyramid of deception from top to bottom, the 750M+ represent the base of this pyramid, with the educated and powerful closer to the apex.

Got it bro.

Didn't realize about pyramid of deception.

 

[ahsan17]

Never give up your Canadian citizenship, you can utilize T5 .. I have a Canadian colleague that is old and he married an American citizen, he us not giving up his Canadian citizenship and somehow they are not giving him dual one.

Free healthcare(for expensive ones) is hard to give up, he is old.

What is the reason for not giving dual Canadian American citizenship? There are plenty of people that have that.

 

[JaDed]

What is the reason for not giving dual Canadian American citizenship? There are plenty of people that have that.

Not to sure, will ask let you know..

 

[barah_admi]

where have all the indian posters gone? and where is mamoon?

 

[Abdullah719]

Pro-Indian 'fake websites targeted decision makers in Europe'

A global network of pro-Indian fake websites and think-tanks is aimed at influencing decision-making in Europe, researchers say.

The co-ordinated network of 265 sites operates across 65 countries, according to a report by Brussels-based NGO, EU Disinfo Lab.

The researchers traced the websites to an Indian company, Srivastava Group.

The network was also found to involve groups responsible for anti-Pakistan lobbying events in Europe.

There's no evidence it is linked to India's government.

But researchers believe the network's purpose is to disseminate propaganda against India's neighbour and rival Pakistan. Both countries have long sought to control the narrative against each other.

"More than the fake media outlets alone, it is their combination with the fake NGOs that's really worrying because it provides a mirage of online and grassroots support to a cause. That's exactly where the disinformation lies," Alexandre Alaphilippe, executive director of EU Disinfo Lab, told the BBC.

'Zombies, green aliens and blue ghosts'

EU Disinfo Lab's investigation started by looking at EP Today, a website which claimed to be an online magazine for the European Parliament in Brussels.

In October, the European Union's disinformation task force revealed that EP Today had been re-publishing a large amount of news directly from Russia Today and Voice of America.

Some suspected Russian interference, but EU Disinfo Lab, which is an independent NGO, traced the servers behind the website to Srivastava Group.

The researchers then uncovered a vast network of English language fake sites serving India's lobbying interests.

Many of the fake websites use names of defunct newspapers to provide a veneer of credibility. EU Disinfo Lab have dubbed these "zombie" sites, because the names were resurrected from dead media outlets.

For example, one of the sites is called Manchester Times. Its "About Us" section uses text copied from a Wikipedia entry about a newspaper with the same name.

But it omits an important part of the Wikipedia description, which states: "The newspaper's last issue appeared on 22 July 1922." It also fails to declare the website's links to Indian interests.

Six of the sites use misleading names, like "Times of Los Angeles" instead of the better known "Los Angeles Times".

The websites all copy syndicated content from news organisations to make them look like real news sites. They then plant anti-Pakistan stories and opinion pieces from employees of NGOs linked to the network to serve India's lobbying interests, researchers found.

The Times of Geneva is one of the most sophisticated websites in the network, and creates a lot of video content. Its activities appear to target decision makers at the UN.

The website hasn't been updated since 19 November, a few days after EU Disinfo Lab first announced its discovery of the network.

The BBC tried calling the phone number on the Times of Geneva's website, but it has been cut off. Its YouTube channel has been disabled and its Twitter account suspended.

Mr Alaphilippe believes the network was created to influence international institutions and elected representatives.

"We think the main goal was to be able to reach policymakers in Brussels and Geneva, without being able to trace back to those behind the manipulative network. And this worked!" he told the BBC.

"MEPs [Members of the European Parliament] have engaged directly with this network on a multitude of levels, whether that's been through writing op-eds for their media, participating in overseas trips and press conferences, or by speaking in the European Parliament on behalf of the cause."

Ray Serrato, an open source investigator with a focus on disinformation, noted how little social media traction the network generated.

In an email to the BBC, he says what struck him was that "somebody went to pains to set up hundreds of inauthentic sites to bolster coverage of issues aligned with India's interests, and then used (unwitting?) European MPs to lend legitimacy to some of those sites".

"The real-life implications are that officials can be hand-fed and regurgitate specific talking points, completely unaware about how they got them."

The EU Disinfo Lab report highlights various organisations which appear to be closely connected, which have been organising "protests and conferences every year during UN Human Rights Council sessions". They focus on campaigns to criticise Pakistan for the state of minorities and persecuted groups in the country.

One group identified in the network, the European Organisation for Pakistani Minorities (EOPM), organised a protest in front of the UN in 2016, and a conference held in the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In 2017 posters with the message "Free Balochistan" and other slogans supporting minorities in Pakistan appeared on streets in Geneva, resulting in Pakistani authorities summoning the Swiss Ambassador to demand the removal of the posters.

The EU Disinfo Lab report highlights that this year, a campaign was launched in front of the United Nations office in Geneva about Balochistan. The protest used the hashtag #PakistanStopGenocide, with speeches made by various individuals named in the report. It was extensively covered in media outlets in the network, such as the Times of Geneva.

India has also been on the receiving end of critical outdoor advertising in Europe. Earlier this year, during the Cricket World Cup in England, banners were seen flying over the stadium during India's match against Sri Lanka at Headingley, Leeds, with messages such as "Justice for Kashmir" and "India Stop Genocide and Free Kashmir".

Animosity between Pakistan and India has resulted in three all-out wars, and numerous skirmishes across the border, the most recent of which took place in February this year.

The battle to construct an effective narrative and gain international support has long been fought online as well as offline.

Ten years ago, a now-dormant Pakistani blog, Café Pyala, unearthed a network of publications that were hawkishly pro-Pakistan and virulently anti-India.

It found a similar modus operandi, where the news outlets "reference and promote each other constantly", with misleading names such as "Times of Bombay, The Delhi Times, and Dacca Times".

Unlike its anti-Indian predecessor, the anti-Pakistan network revealed by EU Disinfo Lab has a strong presence in European cities such as Brussels, Geneva and Strasbourg, co-ordinating demonstrations and a social media campaign.

Who is behind the network?

Through shared phone numbers and an office address in Brussels, as well as shared web servers, EU Disinfo Lab found Srivastava Group to be at the heart of the network.

Srivastava Group is an Indian holding company which declares on its website that it has "interests in Natural resources, Clean energy, Airspace, Consulting services, Healthcare, Print Media and Publishing".

One of Srivastava Group's subsidiaries, the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies (IINS), sponsored a controversial visit to Indian-administered Kashmir for right-wing MEPs in October.

The IINS is based at the same address in Delhi as Srivastava Group and an obscure media outlet called New Delhi Times.

BBC News Hindi reporter Kirti Dubey visited the address and was told by a security guard there was no office in the building. A neighbour who had lived in the area for 40 years told her he had never seen anyone in the house. Srivastava Group did not respond to the BBC's attempts to request comment by phone and email.

When Indian media reported the publication of EU Disinfo Lab's initial findings in November, the New Delhi Times' editor in chief Ankit Srivastava tweeted that Pakistan's intelligence services were trying to tarnish him, although he provided no evidence.

The 'Madi effect'

Madi Sharma has been identified by EU Disinfo Lab as central to the disinformation network. She has written for EP Today and the New Delhi Times as their "EU correspondent".

It was Madi Sharma who sent MEPs invitations for the controversial trip to Kashmir. She signed the invitation letters as the Founder and CEO of the Women's Economic and Social Think Tank (WESTT) and said the trip would be sponsored by the IINS.

EU Disinfo Lab found that WESTT shares some staff with EP Today and had quoted and republished content from New Delhi Times and the Times of Geneva.

Madi Sharma, who also goes by the name Madhu Sharma, is a British member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). She was nominated for the committee by the UK Government and has been an EESC Member since 2002.

She paints herself as a successful entrepreneur, but according to the UK's Companies House website, her sole directorship in the UK is with Madi Limited, and the company is dormant.

Her book Madi - No Excuses has its own website which asks: "Have you heard about the phenomena known as the 'Madi Effect'?"

Ankit Srivastava of the New Delhi Times is also vice chairman of the Srivastava Group - and he is likely to have heard of the 'Madi Effect' because he has written her a glowing testimonial on her website.

"You know all of us at Srivastava Group and New Delhi Times appreciate you and all your work in the promotion of entrepreneurship, human rights and towards empowering others from all nations," he writes, adding: "Of course we particularly appreciate your support toward India."

This support for India and involvement in such a network of websites could be perceived as a conflict of interest for an EESC member like Madi Sharma. She did not respond to the BBC's attempts to contact her.

The committee's members are drawn from economic and social interest groups in Europe to represent the views of civil society to European institutions, including the European Parliament.

In a statement to the BBC, the EESC emphasised the independence of its members.

"The EESC does not engage in image building activities for governments and is independent from any government. [EESC Members] are to be completely independent in the performance of their duties, in the Union's general interest."

Asked what standards are expected of members, and whether lobbying on behalf of countries outside the EU is allowed, the EESC shared its new code of conduct with the BBC.

It requires "integrity, openness, diligence, honesty, accountability and respect for the Committee's reputation" and avoidance of conflicts of interest. Members do not have to sign the new code of conduct until October next year though.

"An advisory committee on the conduct of members is currently being set up and is currently working on its rules of procedure and working methods. To our knowledge Ms Sharma has not signed the new code of conduct."

The BBC tried to contact Madi Sharma and Ankit Srivastava directly and through their respective organisations, WESTT and Srivastava Group, but they did not respond.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50749764

 

[MenInG]

This is what we are faced with - the evil empire.

 

[warcry]

indian expats in the west consume bollywood and get indoctrinated as a consequence.

 

[Pakpak]

Its on BBC today as well

 

[Waseem]

Trust joshilay warriors to come up with "Everything is fair in love and war" or go prove this in court ....of course only time it's considered wrong is when same is done against India...this is when it becomes terrorism

Shows how extreme mindset and terrorist mentality of a leader can destroy lives of millions of people. Itni obsession Pakistan se?? Itni tou Bollywood film main hero ko heroine se nahi hoti.....This is what extreme hatred does to you......after doing all the propaganda though the idiot can't convince even his fellow Indians except brainwashed bha*kts...

 

[MP2011]

Trust joshilay warriors to come up with "Everything is fair in love and war" or go prove this in court ....of course only time it's considered wrong is when same is done against India...this is when it becomes terrorism

Shows how extreme mindset and terrorist mentality of a leader can destroy lives of millions of people. Itni obsession Pakistan se?? Itni tou Bollywood film main hero ko heroine se nahi hoti.....This is what extreme hatred does to you......after doing all the propaganda though the idiot can't convince even his fellow Indians except brainwashed bha*kts...

Well said.

Agree with every word you've written. These unpaid sanghi volunteers are worst enemies of India currently. Only due to them, these 2 despots have been chosen to lead us for another 5 years....If this is the state of nation in the first year, god forbid what will happen in next 4.5 years!!

 

[ahsan17]

Well said.

Agree with every word you've written. These unpaid sanghi volunteers are worst enemies of India currently. Only due to them, these 2 despots have been chosen to lead us for another 5 years....If this is the state of nation in the first year, god forbid what will happen in next 4.5 years!!

In the US, presidents have a maximum two terms, and in the second term they usually take the stronger actions since they don't have to worry about elections again. I know India doesn't have two term limit, but is that what BJP going for, going out strong after these elections and making the most of these 5 years? Or are they still counting on getting re-elected again?

 

[MP2011]

In the US, presidents have a maximum two terms, and in the second term they usually take the stronger actions since they don't have to worry about elections again. I know India doesn't have two term limit, but is that what BJP going for, going out strong after these elections and making the most of these 5 years? Or are they still counting on getting re-elected again?

Considering the collective IQ of Indian electorate, mota bhai's dream of ruling India for next 50 years may just come true.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">REVEALED: Indian Chronicles – how a massive 15-year influence operation successfully targeted the EU & UN with 750+ fake local media and 10+ zombie-NGOs.<br><br>Executive Summary & full report: <a href="https://t.co/W3IAxQTOqZ">https://t.co/W3IAxQTOqZ</a><br>Here are the facts &#55357;&#56391; (1/n) <a href="https://t.co/eXW6bh48gv">pic.twitter.com/eXW6bh48gv</a></p>— EU DisinfoLab (@DisinfoEU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisinfoEU/status/1336642899006681088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Indian Chronicles’ key objective is to undermine Pakistan internationally. <br><br>To do so, they resurrected dead NGOs at the UN. <br><br>They impersonated the EU. <br><br>They laundered content produced by fake media to real media - and reached millions in South-Asia & across the world. (2/n)</p>— EU DisinfoLab (@DisinfoEU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisinfoEU/status/1336642900826988547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Civil]

The obsession runs deep lol.

No wonder all the online devotees always have consistent talking points during the last few years of Modi's F#@*ery

One of my guju colleagues, (perhaps now regretting it) showed me the links and posts they get daily on watsapp forwards...just piles of negativity but lots of talking points on all issues bjp gets targetted on like CAA , farmers protest , Kashmir.

 

[ahmedzee]

Denial brigade coming soon

 

[MenInG]

The Asian News International (ANI), an Indian news agency, extensively covers anti-Pakistan activities of “dubious” NGOs created by India’s Srivastava business group in Geneva and often quotes articles and op-eds from fake media outlets, a report by EU Disinfo Lab revealed Wednesday.

The report India Chronicles issued by the EU Disinfo Lab, an independent EU-focused NGO which monitors disinformation online, revealed that it has uncovered an entire network of coordinated UN-accredited NGOs that promotes Indian interests and criticises Pakistan in Geneva.

“We could tie at least 10 of them directly to the Srivastava family with several other dubious NGOs pushing the same message,” the investigation report prepared by four researchers said. It said that the UN-accredited NGOs work in coordination with non-accredited thinktanks and minority rights NGOs in Brussels and Geneva.

“Several of them like the European Organization for Pakistani Minorities (EOPM), Baluchistan House and the South Asia Democratic Forum were directly but opaquely created by the Srivastava group,” read the report. “The organisations created by the Srivastava Group in Brussels organised trips for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to Kashmir, Bangladesh and the Maldives.”

The Srivastava Group’s name had also appeared in another report of EU Disinfo Lab last year. It was identified as the main actor behind at least 265 “coordinated fake local media outlets” in more than 65 countries that were designed to influence the EU and UN by repeatedly criticising Pakistan.

On its website the Srivastava Group identifies itself as “one of the fastest growing business houses in the country (India) with interests in natural resources, clean energy, airspace, consulting services, healthcare, print media and publishing”.

The actors behind the propaganda campaign against Pakistan, according to the report, created at least three informal groups in the European Parliament identified as South Asia Peace Forum, Baloch Forum and Friends of Gilgit-Baltistan. These groups have organised several press conferences and events within and in front of the European Parliament.

Authorities in Pakistan have accused India several times of running a campaign against Pakistan to damage its international image.

Last week, Pakistani military’s spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar in an interview with Global Village Space had termed misinformation campaign against Pakistan on social media as a major challenge.

He had said that India was trying to destabilise the country through fifth-generation warfare.

ANI: the India news agency that disseminates propaganda against Pakistan
The research at EU Disinfo Lab has identified EU Chronicle, a new fake media with fake journalists supposedly covering European affairs, as an outlet which gives Members of European Parliament to publish pro-India articles.

“In less than 6 months of existence, already 11 MEPs, most of them already involved with EP Today, have written or endorsed op-eds at a remarkably high pace for EU Chronicle,” read the report.

EP Today, which was closed after publication of EU Disinfo Lab’s report last year, had actively published articles related to minorities in Pakistan as well as India-related matters and it, too, was being managed by India’s Srivastava Group.

The articles published by the EU Chronicle gained “valuable coverage” after ANI, an Indian press agency, repackaged its articles and op-eds as genuine articles from “independent media EU Chronicle”.

The names EU-Chronicle (eu-chronicle.eu) and EU Chronicle (euchronicle.com) sound exactly the same but the latter is a fake media link and it was apparently created to deceive people into believing that it is the original.

The original, EU-Chronicle, focuses its reports on EU affairs and domestic policy of the EU member states.

Beside giving space to the articles and op-eds published by the “fake media”, the ANI, according to EU Disinfo Lab’s report, extensively covers the activities of dubious NGOs in Geneva.

“The coverage – and often distortion – by ANI of the content produced in Brussels and Geneva led us to the Big News Network and World News Network, an entire network of 500+ fake local media in 95 countries that helped reproduced negative iterations about Pakistan (or China),” the report said while explaining the role of Indian press agency’s in anti-Pakistan propaganda.

The aim behind the creation of fake media, said the report, is to multiply the repetition of online negative content about countries in conflict with India, in particular Pakistan, through repackaging and dissemination of op-eds and articles via the ANI.

The operation to influence EU and UN institutions, according to the report, led by the Indian Srivastava Group and amplified by ANI began in 2005 and it is ongoing.

The operation, the report revealed, is aimed at discrediting the nations in conflict with India in Asia, particularly Pakistan, but also China to a lesser extent.

According to the EU Disinfo Lab’s investigation, the operation’s long-term objective is to “reinforce pro-Indian and anti-Pakistan (and anti-Chinese) feelings in India and to internationally improve New Delhi’s perception so that the country can benefit from more support from international institutions such as the EU and the UN.

India’s Srivastava Group and the NGOs associated with it also support minority and human rights group to create European institutions support for India and against Pakistan and China.

https://www.samaa.tv/news/2020/12/b...nda-an-indian-news-agency-and-business-group/

 

[BreadPakoda]

Fake news and misinformation spread at all levels. There are IT cell workers tweeting for pennies, media charging a bit more.

Then you have educated people retweeting and sharing the same stuff on WhatsApp, a.k.a. WhatsApp University - mostly for free.

And then you have the pradhan sewak and his ministers peddling the same lies on social media and during rallies.

 

[Pakpak]

Not sure why people are surprised. Just google it and BJP proudly shows its millions of paid media shills who's job is to scour the web and post trash.

 

[Madplayer]

Not sure why people are surprised. Just google it and BJP proudly shows its millions of paid media shills who's job is to scour the web and post trash.

This has been going on (since forever but as per evidence lets say) for over 15 years. Hence, it isnt limited to BJP. Congress has been doing it too and infact they were doing a better job than BJP by being more subtle.

 

[CricketCartoons]

This has been going on (since forever but as per evidence lets say) for over 15 years. Hence, it isnt limited to BJP. Congress has been doing it too and infact they were doing a better job than BJP by being more subtle.

BJP has money, but doesn't have the cleverness. They are still scouting for highly educated people who can be their social media influencers, people who can write in poetic prose and provide intellectual cover.

 

[cricketjoshila]

One Ngo calling other Ngos liar. Lol.

 

[Abdullah719]

A detailed report from the BBC:

The dead professor and the vast pro-India disinformation campaign

A dead professor and numerous defunct organisations were resurrected and used alongside at least 750 fake media outlets in a vast 15-year global disinformation campaign to serve Indian interests, a new investigation has revealed.

The man whose identity was stolen was regarded as one of the founding fathers of international human rights law, who died aged 92 in 2006.

“It is the largest network we have exposed,” said Alexandre Alaphilippe, executive director of EU DisinfoLab, which undertook the investigation and published an extensive report on Wednesday.

The network was designed primarily to “discredit Pakistan internationally” and influence decision-making at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and European Parliament, EU DisinfoLab said.

EU DisinfoLab partially exposed the network last year but now says the operation is much larger and more resilient than it first suspected.

There is no evidence the network is linked to India’s government, but it relies heavily on amplifying content produced on fake media outlets with the help of Asian News International (ANI) - India’s largest wire service and a key focus of the investigation.

The EU DisinfoLab researchers, who are based in Brussels, believe the network’s purpose is to disseminate propaganda against India’s neighbour and rival Pakistan. Both countries have long sought to control the narrative against the other.

Last year, the researchers uncovered 265 pro-Indian sites operating across 65 countries, and traced them back to a Delhi-based Indian holding company, the Srivastava Group (SG).

Wednesday’s report, titled Indian Chronicles, reveals that the operation, run by SG, is spread over at least 116 countries and has targeted members of the European Parliament and the United Nations - raising questions about how much EU and UN staff knew about SG’s activities, and whether they could have done more to counter those activities, especially after last year’s report.

Mr Alaphilippe said the EU DisinfoLab researchers had never encountered such co-ordination between different stakeholders to spread disinformation.

“During the last 15 years, and even after being exposed last year, the fact that this network managed to operate so effectively shows the sophistication and the drive of the actors behind Indian Chronicles,” he said.

“You need more than a few computers to plan and sustain such an action,” he said.

The researchers cautioned against “definitively attributing Indian Chronicles to some specific actors such as Indian intelligence services” without further investigation.

Ben Nimmo, a disinformation network expert, told the BBC the uncovered network was “one of the most persistent and complex operations” he had seen, but he too was wary of attributing it to a specific actor.

Mr Nimmo, who is director of investigations at digital monitoring firm Graphika, cited previous examples of privately-run large-scale troll operations. “Just because they’re big, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re directly run by the state,” he said.

The BBC approached the Indian government for comment but had received no response by the time of publication.

Of ghosts and defunct NGOs

One of the most important findings of the open-source investigation was establishing direct links between the Srivastava Group (SG) and at least 10 UN-accredited NGOs, along with several others, which were used to promote Indian interests and criticise Pakistan internationally.

“In Geneva, these think tanks and NGOs are in charge of lobbying, of organising demonstrations, speaking during press conferences and UN side-events, and they were often given the floor at the UN on behalf of the accredited organisations,” the report says.

The investigation shows that the operation led by SG began in late 2005, a few months after the UNHRC was founded in its current form.

One particular NGO which caught the eye of the researchers was the Commission to Study the Organisation of Peace (CSOP). The CSOP was founded in the 1930s and won UN-accreditation in 1975 but became inactive later in the 1970s.

The investigation found that a former chairman of the CSOP - Prof Louis B Sohn, one of the 20th Century’s leading international law scholars and a Harvard Law faculty member for 39 years - was listed under the name Louis Shon as a CSOP participant at the UNHRC session in 2007 and at a separate event in Washington DC in 2011.

The listings shocked the researchers because Prof Sohn died in 2006.

The authors dedicated their investigation to the professor’s memory, writing that his name had been “usurped by the malicious actors in this report”. They said CSOP “had been resurrected, and its identity hijacked in 2005 by the same actors depicted in our first investigation”.

The investigation also shows there were several hundred pro-Indian interventions by the non-accredited NGOs, which were repeatedly given the floor at the UNHRC on behalf of the accredited organisations, pursuing the same agenda of maligning Pakistan.

On other occasions, NGOs and organisations which seemingly had nothing to do with Pakistan or India according to their stated objectives would get the opportunity to speak at the UNHRC and target Pakistan.

In March 2019, during the UNHRC’s 40th session, United Schools International (USI), another UN-accredited organisation with direct links to SG, allowed its slot to be used by Yoana Barakova, a research analyst with an Amsterdam-based think-tank called the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS).

Ms Barakova spoke about “atrocities committed by Pakistan” during the session. She told the BBC that EFSAS was a partner with USI and she was “not responsible for organisational logistics”. The BBC received no reply when it contacted the director of EFSAS, who also represented USI at the same session to criticise Pakistan.

The primary news agency re-packaging and boosting pro-India content related to SG appears to be ANI, established in 1971, which describes itself as “South Asia’s leading multimedia news agency, with more than 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe”. Indian news media, especially broadcast media, thrive on content provided by ANI.

EU DisinfoLab found at least 13 instances of ANI re-publishing mostly anti-Pakistan and sometimes anti-China op-eds by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), originally published on EU Chronicle, one of the fake news sites linked to SG.

EU Chronicle was born in May this year when EP Today, a site flagged in the previous disinformation report, was simply discontinued and renamed.

The EU DisinfoLab report said: “The actors behind the operation hijacked the names of others, tried to impersonate regular media such as the EU Observer… used the letterhead of the European Parliament, registered websites under avatars with fake phone numbers, provided fake addresses to the United Nations, created publishing companies to print books of the think-tanks they owned.

“They used layers of fake media that would quote and republish one another. They used politicians who genuinely wanted to defend women or minority rights to ultimately serve geopolitical interests and gave a platform to far-right politicians when convergent objectives could be reached.”

Mr Alaphilippe said the news agency ANI was being used to give legitimacy to the entire “influence operation”, which relied “more on ANI than on any other distribution channel” to give it “both credibility and a wide reach to its content”.

ANI’s news reports have found space in many mainstream Indian news outlets and publishers. Its content was further reproduced on more than 500 fake media websites across 95 countries, the researchers found.

Demonstrations in Europe conducted by organisations linked to the Srivastava Group have also been covered by ANI, as well as by fake media websites linked to SG.

Focus on the EU and UN

According to the findings of the investigation, the disinformation network had a two-pronged strategy to spread influence.

In Geneva, the think-tanks and NGOs were in charge of lobbying and protesting, and taking the floor at the UNHRC on behalf of accredited organisations.

In Brussels, the focus was on the MEPs, who were taken on international trips and solicited to write “exclusive” op-eds for fake outlets like EU Chronicle, which would then be amplified using ANI, the researchers found.

A group of MEPs appear regularly in the investigation. One of them, French MEP Thierry Mariani, has written two op-eds for EU Chronicle and was also part of a controversial visit to Indian-administered Kashmir last year.

“If the Indian government is behind the newspaper [EU Chronicle], it is not my problem,” Mr Mariani, a member of France’s far-right National Rally, told the BBC.

“I sign what I want and I feel, it is my opinion. I have connections in [India's governing] Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and I support the government of [Narendra] Modi,” he said.

Two other MEPs named in the report - Angel Dzhambazki from Bulgaria and Grzegorz Tobiszowski from Poland - denied having written op-eds that were published on EU Chronicle.

The articles under their names were also reproduced on ANI.

Asked what the EU is doing to fight disinformation networks, EU spokesperson on foreign affairs Peter Stano pointed to the action taken to expose EP Today last year.

“Exposing the disinformation and those who spread it is one of our main instruments,” he told the BBC. “We will continue to identify them and call them out.”

But he said questions about finances and transparency of NGOs registered in Brussels were for Belgian authorities to answer.

Rolando Gomez, a spokesperson for the UNHRC, told the BBC that it was the prerogative of NGOs to raise whichever issue they wish to address and whoever they grant space to speak on the floor.

“There are no rules stating that an NGO must speak to specific issues. Doing so would amount to infringing on their freedom of speech,” Mr Gomez said.

Gary Machado, managing director of EU DisinfoLab, said he thought the muted reaction to the revelation of the disinformation network was partly because it was “clearly managed by Indian stakeholders”.

“Imagine if the same operation was run by China or Russia. How do you think the world would have reacted? Probably with international outrage, leading to public inquiries and probably sanctions,” he told the BBC.

But the activities of MEPs named in the report prompted criticism from some of their colleagues.

MEP Daniel Freund from the Greens said fellow members needed to declare their activities.

“There have been at least 24 breaches of rules in the past years. Not a single violation has been sanctioned. So there is little incentive to respect the rules when the worst that can happen is to file a declaration after you have been caught,” he said.

Another member, who did not want to be named, said MEPs contributing to sites like EU Chronicles had been identified as “election tourists”.

“A ragtag group of MEPs from the bottom of the parliamentary barrel who prefer to travel on sponsored trips by unsavoury governments rather than invest in their mandate,” the MEP told the BBC. “How PR stunts with such individuals could be even conceived as helpful is baffling.”

The BBC put questions to ANI and to nine other MEPs who have written op-eds for the EU Chronicle and made visits to India, Bangladesh and the Maldives, but received no response.

Who are the Srivastavas - and what next?

The investigations from last year and this year show a man called Ankit Srivastava at the centre of the entire global operation that was uncovered. More than 400 domain names have been bought through Mr Srivastava’s private email address or through email addresses belonging to his organisations, the EU DisinfoLab investigations found.

Then, there’s a case of the mysterious SG-owned tech firm Aglaya. Its website has been inaccessible since at least February this year but in the past the company has advertised products for “hacking/spy tools” and “information warfare services”.

Aglaya’s marketing brochure mentioned the ability to “hamper country level reputations” and described some of its services as “Cyber Nukes”. In a 2017 interview with Forbes magazine, a man called Ankur Srivastava claimed he “only sold to Indian intelligence agencies”.

It’s unclear what relation, if any, he has to Ankit Srivastava.

A third Srivastava appears to be Dr Pramila Srivastava, chairperson of the group and mother of Ankit Srivastava.

Dr Harshindar Kaur, a paediatrician from the Indian state of Punjab, told the EU DisinfoLab researchers that in 2009 she had been invited to the UNHRC in Geneva to give a lecture on female foeticide when she was threatened by a woman called Dr P Srivastava, who claimed to be a “very senior government official from India”.

Dr Kaur told the BBC it was Pramila Srivastava who had threatened her.

The BBC emailed Ankit Srivastava asking him to respond to this and the other allegations in the report, but received no reply. When the BBC visited the firm’s offices in Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave, staff there would not answer questions.

What might happen to the network, or how it might evolve, in the light of the latest investigation is unclear.

The authors of Indian Chronicles say their findings “should serve as a call to action for decision-makers to put in place a relevant framework to sanction actors abusing international institutions”.

Mr Alaphilippe said following the 2019 investigation there had been “no official communication, no sanction, nothing. This passivity gave a message to Indian Chronicles: you’ve been exposed, but no consequences”.

“We think there should be consequences to disinformation and we expect actions to be taken. The biggest failure from institutions would be if another report is released next year on the same actors with the same techniques,” he told the BBC.

“This would mean that EU institutions are ok with foreign interference.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55232432

 

[Abdullah719]

 

[Abdullah719]

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Glad that the EU Disinfo team discussed the curious case of “James Duglous Crickton” in their report.<br><br>I immediately spotted the persona in 2016 as dubious & likely created by Indian intel/BJP bc “HE” COULD NOT SPELL “HIS” OWN NAME. The misspelling occurs in all of “his” opeds. <a href="https://t.co/7c0KtOBwJv">pic.twitter.com/7c0KtOBwJv</a></p>— Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArifCRafiq/status/1336910762774831105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I asked <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ANI</a>’s editor <a href="https://twitter.com/smitaprakash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smitaprakash</a> about this fake white man her outlet quoted. <br><br>This was her lame response: <a href="https://t.co/0mgnKopNTd">pic.twitter.com/0mgnKopNTd</a></p>— Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArifCRafiq/status/1336916582992392194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Glad that the EU Disinfo team discussed the curious case of “James Duglous Crickton” in their report.<br><br>I immediately spotted the persona in 2016 as dubious & likely created by Indian intel/BJP bc “HE” COULD NOT SPELL “HIS” OWN NAME. The misspelling occurs in all of “his” opeds. <a href="https://t.co/7c0KtOBwJv">pic.twitter.com/7c0KtOBwJv</a></p>— Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArifCRafiq/status/1336910762774831105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I asked <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ANI</a>’s editor <a href="https://twitter.com/smitaprakash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smitaprakash</a> about this fake white man her outlet quoted. <br><br>This was her lame response: <a href="https://t.co/0mgnKopNTd">pic.twitter.com/0mgnKopNTd</a></p>— Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArifCRafiq/status/1336916582992392194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Waiting for the "patriotic dissenters" to put this on ISI as a "reverse reverse propaganda" where they malign Pakistan for 15 years only to do an expose 15 years later to achieve strategic victory.