Strategic Importance of Radio Kashmir in Countering Pakistan’s War of Words against India

Like any other government-owned media institution, Radio Kashmir has historically been entrusted with a mission to safeguard the territorial integrity of India and help in guarding its vital strategic interests. It acts as an agency that bridges the gap between the government and the people and creates a favourable opinion of India as a strong, modern and secular democracy in a region where fundamentalism and military ambitions have created rogue states.

European countries used the radio as a psychological weapon and a propaganda tool, particularly during World War II. Pakistan has been abusing its own medium of sound since 1947, allegedly with a motive to weaken India, and to win over the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by exploiting their religious sentiments.1 An analysis of militants’ activities in J&K over the last two decades will reveal that Pakistan has been trying to woo the youth of J&K to act as an illegitimate army to bleed India ‘through thousand cuts’. Although the infiltration process may be slow at the moment, the danger continues to lurk. Trade relations between India and Pakistan have improved and the two neighbours may arrive at an agreement regarding Kashmir in the days to come. However, Pakistan will continue to foment trouble in the state that it sees as an ‘unfinished agenda of Partition’. The institution of Radio Kashmir will again have its tasks clearly cut out in such a changed geostrategic scenario.2

• 1. H.R. Luthra, Indian Broadcasting, Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi, 1986.
• 2. Golden Jubilee Souvenir of Radio Kashmir, Jammu, 1997.