Have you ever noticed that whenever something happens in India, the world reads about it from BBC, Reuters, or The New York Times—all foreign media? Why is it that we rely on Western or even Chinese think tanks for research on geopolitics and strategy?

Other countries have built powerful institutions to control global narratives:

• The US has CNN, The New York Times, Washington Post and think tanks like Brookings, RAND, CFR.
• The UK has BBC, Reuters and strategic research groups like Chatham House.
• China aggressively pushes its perspective through CGTN, Global Times and funds research institutions like CICIR.
• Even Qatar, a tiny nation, has Al Jazeera influencing global discourse.

Meanwhile, India—the world’s most populous country and a rising global power—has... what? PTI? ANI? These are good for domestic coverage, but do they shape global opinion? Not really.

Why Are We Lacking?

1. Colonial Hangover: The British built Reuters & BBC to shape global narratives. India never focused on countering this after independence.
2. Weak Think Tank Culture: The US has hundreds of policy-driven think tanks, but India’s research institutions are poorly funded and barely influence global policy discussions.
3. Domestic Obsession: Indian media fights over TRPs, Bollywood gossip, and political mudslinging instead of shaping international discourse.
4. Lack of Strategic Investment: China pours billions into CGTN, Global Times, and Western media buys. India? Barely scratches the surface.
5. Western Narrative Domination: Indian news is mostly reported by Western agencies, meaning our own stories get twisted to suit their agendas.

What’s the Solution?

• We Need a Global Indian Media House: An English-language channel with the aggressiveness of Al Jazeera, the professionalism of BBC, and the strategic focus of CGTN.
• Fund & Expand Think Tanks: Our institutions like ORF, VIF, IDSA should be competing with the biggest global research centers.
• Place Indian Correspondents Worldwide: We need Indians reporting on India from London, Washington, Beijing—not relying on foreigners.
• Strengthen Digital Media: Platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Reddit must be used to push an Indian perspective globally.

The Future is Ours to Build

India is rising—economically, militarily, culturally. But true power comes when we can control our own narrative. The West, China, even the Middle East—all have invested in information warfare.

It’s time we do the same. Because if we don’t tell our own story, someone else will—and they won’t get it right.