By N. C. Bipindra

As a rookie in journalism three decades ago, the first lesson given to us by our seniors and editors was that ‘Dog bites man is not news, but man bites dog is, and that is a goldmine.’ Many of us, who have transitioned from print to electronic media and now social media journalism, have learned that such sensationalism may not always accrue benefits.

While in the short term, there may be significant gains in terms of higher circulation (print), TRPs (electronic), or clicks (online), likes and retweets (on social media), the credibility of the author and that of the publication house take a hit when the dramatic piece is fact-checked.

Though most of us could get away with sacrilege in the good old days, in the present world of fact-checkers and online accessibility of information, armchair enthusiasts who wish to gain popularity through inaccurate sensationalist news items need to exercise prudence.

Among several digressions observed in media reporting, discretion is a must when concerned with national security matters. The latest news item that appeared on the nuclear deterrence capability of the country is one such avoidable piece of misinformation.

For the uninitiated, the news item linked yoga being conducted on one of the offshore patrol vessels of the Indian Navy and the absence of missile containers on the helicopter deck of the ship, thereby revealing the removal of nuclear missiles to the world.

To garner likes, the news piece, taking a cue from open-source research conducted by a foreign organisation, stated that the Indian Navy should be more careful when updating its warships’ activities to avoid disseminating critical information.

To put things in perspective, the Indian nuclear deterrence programme had envisaged a triad capable of launching retaliatory strikes from the land, sea, or air. Regarding sea-based deterrence, the indigenous SSBNs (nuke-capable ballistic missile-armed nuclear-powered submarines) were the selected platforms that could deliver the punch, when required.

Two naval Offshore Patrol Vessels commonly known as OPVs, namely INS Suvarna and INS Subhadra, were fitted out for installation of ‘Dhanush’ missiles. The trials were successful by the end of 2009.

Eventually, with the commissioning of Arihant and several successful operational deployments, a considered decision was taken and the OPVs were reverted to their original configuration in 2022. These ships now proudly patrol India’s western seaboard and have been instrumental in several successful anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations.

Ironically, the matter concerning the reversed role of OPVs is a known piece of information, readily available on open-source platforms. Even Janes Fighting Ships, which is the master repository of data on global warships and is the go-to source of reference for military planners, alludes to the same.

The two vessels in question, deployed extensively at sea and overseas for operations, have included high levels of interaction including cross-deck visits from the media. Globally, which navy would send and dock a strategic platform in a foreign country’s port? This is the primary question one should have asked when commenting on the subject.

So, if the ‘man actually did not bite the dog’, the need to sensationalise ‘yoga’ and ‘nuclear’ needed to be treaded carefully by Indian media houses.

While the analysis by a foreign group dedicated to gleaning Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) is understandable and falls under the charter and areas of interest of that organisation, granting unnecessary credence to the same, without basic fact-checking with the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Defence or the Indian Navy is purely irresponsible behaviour.

Further, the use of critical terminologies such as nuclear missiles has the potential to generate mass hysteria and unnecessary concern among the general ‘uninformed’ population.

While it may not be possible to control the individuals, a more mature approach to such issues of national security, with fact-checks from the respective spokespersons concerned, could be adopted by our media houses.

Issues of national security such as nuclear deterrence are best left to the real-world military experts with the experience and the credibility to comment on the same. Sometimes ‘the dog and the man’ need to peacefully coexist, and that is the biggest lesson for all concerned stakeholders.

NOTE: Defence.Capital is available on Telegram. Please click here to subscribe