TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As India's Lok Sabha election ended on June 1, Indian strategic experts warned of China's “influence operations.”
These operations involve using cultural, economic, media, and public opinion channels to sway voters. Experts pointed to India's social divisions, such as caste conflicts, regional disparities, and wealth inequality, as potential pressure points for Chinese influence campaigns.
China's alleged methods include funding pro-China political parties, pressuring Indian politicians to make pro-China statements, and financing media outlets or reporters to publish pro-China content.
N.C. Bipindra, a researcher at think tanks DRaS and ISIF focused on India's strategic and security interests, told CNA that China seeks to support a pro-China prime ministerial candidate. He cited similar actions by China in Taiwan's elections.
Bipindra suggested China fears a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi because it would hinder its ability to exert behind-the-scenes influence. This occurred during the Indian National Congress (INC) rule from 2004-2014, in which a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with Beijing was seen as evidence of such collaboration.
Bipindra acknowledged China's growing influence during that decade but said it did not impact Modi's popularity significantly.
The Modi government has taken countermeasures concerning China's growing threat, as nearly 300 Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeChat, have been banned since June 2020. India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) also developed a fact-checking platform in 2019, and it noticed a recent increase in election-related fake news.
Centre for China Analysis and Strategy (CCAS) researcher Namrata Hasija differentiated China's influence tactics in India and Taiwan. While China's influence in Taiwan is overt, Hasija described its operations in India as obscure.
Hasija cautioned that despite the subtlety of China's alleged influence campaign, India cannot ignore any potential threats.
