The United States seems to be interfering in India’s internal affairs once again, this time by reportedly pressuring the country to ban Russian state-run media outlets. This move has sparked a debate about the US’s double standards when it comes to freedom of speech. According to two strategic affairs experts who spoke to Sputnik India, the US only defends free speech when it fits its own interests.
Prashant Pandey, co-author of the best-selling book BBC: True Lies, claims that the US has always been wary of Russia’s influence in India, especially in the media. He believes Washington is frustrated with India’s strong ties to Russia and is now trying to find ways to weaken that relationship.
“The US is going through tough times at home and doesn’t want to look like it’s losing influence around the world,” Pandey said. “India is an important ally, and by pressuring India to ban Russian media, the US may be hoping to gain some economic advantage, like getting India to buy American military equipment or allowing US companies more access to the Indian market.”
Pandey argues that this kind of pressure from the US paints it in a bad light, especially as it claims to support free speech globally. By trying to interfere with which media outlets India allows, the US is meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation, Pandey noted. He emphasized that no foreign power, not even the US, has the right to decide which news outlets should operate in another country.
Pandey also mentioned that India’s independent stance on global issues has frustrated the US. He believes this recent push to ban Russian media is just the US trying to “flex its muscles,” hoping India will follow its lead.
Meanwhile, former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, Talmiz Ahmad, highlighted the media censorship in the US, where only certain viewpoints are allowed. Ahmad pointed out that opinions challenging the mainstream often face restrictions. He referenced a case involving The Jewish Chronicle, a major London-based newspaper, where several columnists resigned after stories about Gaza were fabricated.
Ahmad wasn’t surprised that the US would seek to limit Russian media in India, noting that Washington has a history of trying to control the flow of information. He gave an example of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government banning the Al Jazeera news network, showing that powerful countries often use media control to promote their own narratives.
Ahmad argued that the US is afraid of non-Western ideas gaining influence in countries it considers part of its “sphere of influence.” This is why, according to Ahmad, Washington is pressuring India to ban Russian media outlets.
The former diplomat also highlighted the clear double standards of the US when it comes to international conflicts, pointing out that while the US harshly criticizes Russia’s actions in Ukraine, it remains silent about Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
He concluded by saying that imperialism is never-ending in its efforts to control other nations—politically, economically, and culturally. Ahmad believes that the US will continue trying to sway Indian public opinion to align more with its own agenda, rather than allowing India to follow its independent foreign policy.
According to Ahmad, a powerful American-sponsored lobby in India is already promoting the US agenda. Many people within the country support this view, and their opinions often dominate the media. Ahmad said the US would prefer to see more American-friendly articles and op-eds in India, rather than alternative viewpoints from Russian media sources.
In summary, both experts suggest that the US’s efforts to pressure India into banning Russian media are not just about controlling the media—they are part of a larger strategy to keep India within its sphere of influence, economically and politically. However, they warn that these actions expose the US’s hypocrisy when it comes to freedom of speech, especially as it tries to silence voices that don’t align with its own interests.
