‘India’s defence communication system is state-sponsored, militarized propaganda network’
Islamabad: India’s defence communication system is not an independent or neutral public information structure. Rather, it is a state-sponsored, organized militarized propaganda network led by the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR). This system controls narratives at home and abroad through defence think tanks, digital and social media networks, international PR campaigns, and information warfare operations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the DPR operates under the Department of Defence (DoD) of India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) and is headquartered in New Delhi and is led by an Additional Director General (Strategic Communication), who also serves as the MoD’s Principal Defence Spokesperson.
In recent years, this role has been elevated to a central pillar of military information warfare, with officers such as Major General Sandeep S. Sharma (Shadra) playing prominent roles and being closely associated with India’s military information warfare doctrine.
Organisational Structure and Manpower
The DPR’s structure is unusually large and overtly militarized with approximately 25 regional offices across India and more than 10,000 personnel, including journalists, PR officers, digital specialists, media analysts, and intelligence support staff.
It is considered South Asia’s largest state-run propaganda structure, operating with virtually no effective parliamentary or public oversight.
DPR Operational Activities: Full Spectrum
(A) Domestic Media Operations
• Defence press releases, briefings, and interviews
• Publication of Sainik Samachar and other military journals
• Photo and video documentation of military exercises and operations
• Press tours and media facilitation
• National broadcast campaigns in coordination with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B)
(B) Digital and Social Media Operations
• Official DPR accounts on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram
• Graphics, videos, and copywriting
• Paid promotions and influencer campaigns
• Engagement with domestic and foreign digital influencers
• Digital monitoring, analytics, and audience engagement
(C) International Media and Regional Outreach
• Hosting of foreign journalists and delegations
• Overseas paid advertorials and media placements
• Targeted regional campaigns in:
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives
• International digital campaigns in English
• Participation in global defence exhibitions and conferences
(D) Strategic Communication and Information Warfare
• Monitoring of adversarial states and media narratives
• Information warfare under the label of “counter-disinformation”
• Targeted messaging for domestic and foreign audiences
• Special propaganda campaigns (Defence Day, recruitment drives, national events)
(E) Military Exercise Video Production
• Professional video teams, actors, drones, CGI, and editing facilities
• Filming of Army, Navy, and Air Force exercises
• Content produced for domestic and international audiences
DPR and Defence Think Tanks: Full Budget Disclosure
Total Combined Annual Budget
• Rs 2,634 crore
• PKR 8,161 crore
• USD $313.5 million
This amount is estimated to be allocated to DPR and defence think tanks from the MoD civil budget of ₹25,963 crore (FY 2024–25), based on Gemini AI estimates.
Detailed DPR Budget Breakdown
• Rs 1,490 crore → Central HQ + 25 regional offices + MoD/I&B media coordination
• Rs 85 crore → Digital & social media campaigns / influencers
• Rs 455 crore → Reporters, PR representatives, intelligence staff
• Rs 100 crore → Military exercise video production / actors / CGI
• Rs 80 crore → Information warfare and strategic messaging
• Rs 77 crore → International PR / foreign media
• Rs 62 crore → Regional outreach (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives)
• Rs 150 crore → Overheads and operational contingencies
• Rs 35 crore → Special propaganda campaigns
• Rs 30 crore → Small media houses / miscellaneous expenses
Total DPR extended budget: ₹2,564 crore (USD $305 million)
Defence Think Tanks: Intellectual and Ideological Enforcement
• IDSA → ₹25 crore
• CLAWS → ₹15 crore
• CAPS → ₹12 crore
• NMF → ₹10 crore
• Other institutions → ₹8 crore
Total think tank budget: ₹70 crore (USD $8.5 million)
These institutions provide:
• Strategic research and policy analysis
• Journals, policy briefs, and monographs
• Seminars, workshops, and war-gaming
• Direct advisory support to the MoD and armed forces
Conclusion: What Is the Reality?
What India presents as “public information” and “strategic communication” is, in fact, state-funded, organized perception management.
By spending Rs 2,634 crore annually, India operates a system that:
• Controls public opinion
• Suppresses dissenting voices
• Interferes in the narratives of neighbouring countries
• Provides intellectual and moral justification for militarization
This is not merely public relations — it is a full-scale information warfare machine.
