Public Narratives
Looking toward the more ubiquitous everyday implications of the dispute, the Kashmir border conflict has had immense consequences for the narratives of Indian and Chinese communities. The June 16 border skirmishes in the Galwan Valley not only marked one of the most violent episodes in the decades-long India-China border dispute but also catalyzed a significant shift in the public narratives within both Indian and Chinese communities. This clash, occurring at the contentious Kashmir border, resonated deeply, bringing the longstanding dispute sharply into the global spotlight and positioning it at the forefront of political dialogue between two of the world’s emerging superpowers. This has significant implications for nationalistic sentiment and influence over broader international policy, especially taking into account media censorship and strong political influence.
Chinese Narratives
Media Outlets
Chinese media outlets, predictably, tend to adopt a more nationalistic tone when addressing the border skirmishes, placing China as a more neutral figure in the border conflict than to exist in reality. China tends to antagonize India as the aggressor in this conflict, while portraying the dispute as merely a natural continuation of historical events rather than any form of instigation from China’s side. This is seen in media outlets’ reprinting of government statements without further analysis, such as the case of news outlets such as The Paper and Xinhua reprinting the Ministry of Defense spokesperson Zhang Suili’s statement that India “deliberately provoked the Chinese side with a violent attack.” This rhetoric serves to rally domestic support and consolidate national identity in the face of external conflict.
Indian Narratives
Media Outlets
While the Indian media landscape is diverse, with more platforms than China, it has become subject to increasing pressure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The Indian media landscape is diverse but has been subject to increasing pressure under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The Indian government and media largely painted incidents such as the June 16 clash as a result of Chinese aggression​​. The severity of such bias in this conflict is ameliorated by the fact that Indian media houses like ANI and others have partnerships with international news agencies, helping disseminate their narratives globally. This was clear during the Galwan Valley clash, with significant international media coverage largely in favor of India.
According to Yuan Jirong, a former correspondent of the Global Times, Indian journalists covering stories related to China have sometimes been accused of using incorrect pictures or irrelevant content. Journalists from neighboring countries have also experienced similar issues with Indian media, accusing them of fabricating lies to draw attention and for spreading fake news. An example of this was in news release of the amount of casualties in the Galwan Valley clash, where pro-governemnt outlet ANI stated that there were 43 Chinese casualties with no evidence to suggest as such.
Diaspora Engagement
The Indian diaspora plays a crucial role in disseminating India’s perspective on social media platforms. This engagement helps counter Chinese narratives and supports India’s stance in the global arena through actions such as boycotting Chinese products and organizing demonstrations. This exacerbated and extended the impact of the dispute beyond India, drawing further attention to the Indian narrative in regions such as Canada and the UK. Through their involvement, the diaspora also influenced the policy debates in their host countries, urging local governments and international organizations to take note of the situation at the India-China border.
Indian thought leaders and officials often write op-eds in major international publications, presenting India's perspective on the border dispute. These pieces aim to reach an educated global audience and influence international opinion leaders to further advance India’s stance on the international stage.
Social Media
Social media platforms played a key role in highlighting the narrative of Chinese aggression and proliferating the Indian government’s perspective on the Galwan Valley clash. The Galwan Valley incident sparked a surge in nationalistic sentiment on social media, with platforms like Twitter and Facebook seeing a flood of posts from Indian users echoing the government's stance and expressing patriotic fervor. This included the widespread sharing of the Ministry of External Affairs' statement, which accused China of premeditated actions leading to the conflict. This advanced Prime Minister Modi’s interest in spreading nationalistic sentiment and leveraged India’s international social media base.
