New Delhi uses ad spend to reward loyalist press in Kashmir

Srinagar: In a blatant attempt to control the media narrative in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Modi-led Indian regime has systematically manipulated advertisement distribution to reward compliant newspapers and marginalize those refusing to toe the official line.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Right to Information (RTI) data filed by Mohammad Iqbal Wani and Bilal Ahmad Mir reveals that the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) spent a staggering INR 70 crore on print advertisements between April 2022 and October 2024. Of this, nearly 26% went to just five newspapers known for toeing the official line: Rising Kashmir (INR 7.73 crore), Aftab Daily (INR 3.7 crore), Srinagar News (INR 2.5 crore), Kashmir Images (INR 2.26 crore), and Kashmir Monitor (INR 2.1 crore).

The revelations confirm the long-standing allegations that the Indian government is using financial incentives to suppress dissenting voices and promote pro-establishment narratives. Renowned dailies such as Greater Kashmir saw a 65% drop in ad revenue, while Brighter Kashmir witnessed a steep fall in allocated space—from 1.2 lakh cm² to just 34,000 cm².

A media review during 18 major political events conducted by News Laundry further exposed the bias: Rising Kashmir featured LG Manoj Sinha on 12 front pages and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on seven, often as lead stories. The coverage prominently highlighted the G20 summit, Article 370 anniversaries, and so-called “development” initiatives.

Kashmir Images reflected similar state-sponsored visibility, carrying Sinha on 16 of 18 front pages and publishing Modi’s messages, including a New Year’s message on January 1, 2024. Kashmir Monitor, another beneficiary, often led with statements by Modi, Amit Shah, and the LG, celebrating the December 2023 Indian Supreme Court ruling on Article 370 with the headline: “INTEGRATED FULL AND FINAL.”

In March 2025, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah publicly criticized the selective ad policy, stating that newspapers publishing only government handouts had become mouthpieces rather than independent media. He vowed to end the “pick-and-choose” practice if returned to power.

Analysts say that the ad distribution pattern exposes New Delhi’s calculated effort to drown out resistance voices in Kashmir and project a false sense of normalcy. By financially crippling critical media outlets and empowering regime-friendly ones, the Modi government is tightening its control over the region’s narrative and silencing the reality of occupation and repression.