As the U.S. ramped up its efforts to ban and block Russian state media network RT globally, sources tell The Hindu that U.S. officials have spoken to the Ministry of External Affairs about joining their actions against what they call “Russian disinformation”, by revoking accreditations and designating their journalists under the “Foreign Missions Act” . However, while the Ministry has been silent on the issue, government officials said that the debate on sanctions is not relevant to India, while a former diplomat said that banning media organisations showed “double standards” by Western countries.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Friday, September 13, 2024, that the United States was imposing additional sanctions against RT. Blinken stated that RT was the “de facto arm of Russia’s intelligence apparatus.” RT and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs deny the charge. In an official response, a senior RT editor accused the U.S. government of “paranoia” and “being terrified of any truly dissenting voice.”
The U.S. State department said it had launched a “joint diplomatic campaign” along with the United Kingdom and Canada to “rally allies and partners around the world to join us in addressing the threat posed by RT and other machinery of Russian disinformation and covert influence”.
“We urge every ally, every partner to start by treating RT’s activities as they do other intelligence activities by Russia within their borders,” Mr. Blinken said.
Former Indian Ambassador to Russia and France Kanwal Sibal said the U.S.’s actions to curtail and censor Russian media organisations damaged America’s “own values”, even as the U.S. government said it supports freedom of speech.
“This will be viewed as double standards by the Global South that they are trying to target. India will obviously not be responsive to such American pressure,“ said Mr. Sibal, who has contributed columns for the RT’s RT.com website.
The U.S. and Europe imposed a general ban on Russian broadcasters after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. Last week, the U.S. State Department sanctioned another 10 individuals and two entities connected to “Kremlin-backed media operations,” including RT and Sputnik. The department accused them of carrying out “disinformation” operations in the U.S., Germany, and other countries, and fundraising for the Russian military.
The United States has asked India to join its campaign against Russian state media network RT, which it calls “Russian disinformation.” Sources say that U.S. officials met with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to discuss revoking RT’s accreditation and designating its journalists under the Foreign Missions Act. The Indian government has not commented on the issue.
The U.S. Embassy Spokesperson Christopher Elms said that the U.S. defers to the Indian government and the governments of other countries to make their own determination of and accreditation procedures for Russian media entities. However, he added that the U.S. would welcome all countries taking similar actions as the United States government has.
The Indian government has declined to comment on the U.S. request to join its campaign against Russian state media network RT. An official said that the matter “does not pertain” to India and pointed out that India does not follow unilateral sanctions that are not approved by the United Nations. This is not the first time that the government has been caught in the U.S.-Russia crossfire over sanctions, such as those over oil imports from Russia, which India has rejected. Last month, however, government officials also censured Russian agencies RT and Sputnik for what they called “misleading” reporting on alleged Indian intelligence “concerns” about U.S. diplomats based in India meeting with Indian Opposition leaders, citing Bangladesh as an example of the U.S.’s “regime change operations” .
The U.S. has asked India to join its campaign against Russian state media network RT, which it calls “Russian disinformation.” Sources say that U.S. officials met with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to discuss revoking RT’s accreditation and designating its journalists under the Foreign Missions Act. The Indian government has not commented on the issue.
