19 Feb 2025 Contextualizing Indian newspaper coverage of Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts

Sudeshna Roy

Media representations significantly shape public opinion and political discourse. In India, The Times of India and The Hindu are pivotal in influencing and reflecting public sentiment and government policies. By examining their coverage of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts, we can gain insights into the interplay between media, politics, ideology, and their impact on international and intercultural relations.

The following study employs intercultural communication theories and critical discourse analysis to evaluate newspaper portrayals of war within the broader context of India’s strategic relationships with Russia and Israel and the changing domestic political ideologies. The paper strives to understand the shifting media narratives as well as explore how Indian cultural perspectives shape the interpretation of foreign conflicts.

India’s relationships with Russia and Israel

India shares a long-standing strategic partnership with Russia, encompassing defence, energy, and industry (Menon & Rumer, 2022). Conversely, India’s relationship with Israel has grown significantly since the 1990s, with robust cooperation in defence, agriculture, and technology (Blarel, 2015). These relationships are multifaceted and have evolved significantly over time, influenced by historical ties, strategic interests, and shifting geopolitical landscapes. The rise of Hindutva ideology, a form of Hindu nationalism promoted primarily by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has added a new dimension to these relationships, specifically positioning Israel as a valuable ally in the fight against perceived common threats, such as Islamist extremism (Jaffrelot, 2007). Hidutva advocates of the primacy of Hindu culture and values, positioning them as the defining features of Indian culture.

India and the Soviet Union shared a strong partnership during the Cold War, marked by mutual interests in balancing the influence of China and the United States in Asia. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited this relationship. Both nations continued to cooperate closely, particularly in defence and security domains. Russia’s principle of non-interference aligns well with Hindutva’s foreign policy stance, which often emphasizes sovereignty and non-intervention, reflecting a shared interest in opposing Western hegemony. The Hindutva-driven government has sought to strengthen cultural ties with Russia, including promoting yoga and Indian cultural events, which resonate with Russia’s interest in cultural diplomacy. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, which it termed a “special military operation”. The invasion sparked widespread international condemnation and led to severe sanctions against Russia.

India’s relationship with Israel has undergone quite the change since the 1950s. A strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, India did not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel until 1992 (Blarel, 2015). The cautious relationship with Israel was also due to concerns about alienating India’s large Muslim population and the broader Arab world. However, the rise of Hindutva has fostered closer ties with Israel, driven in part by a shared experience of dealing with terrorism and security issues. The BJP and Likud party in Israel often share a rapport based on nationalist ideologies. On October 7, 2023, war broke out between Israel and Hamas. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, in the one year since the beginning of the war and 1,200 Israelis have also died.

The Times of India and The Hindu and the rise of Hindutva ideology

The term “Hindutva” refers to a form of Hindu nationalism in India, primarily propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The rise of Hindutva has had significant social, political, and cultural implications in India and has garnered substantial attention both domestically and internationally.

The Times of India is one of India’s highest-circulating English-language newspapers, often perceived as having a centrist-right stance (Pain, 2018). It tends to focus on the political and economic implications of Hindutva policies. It does provide detailed reports on the BJP’s strategies, victories, and policies. It may cover controversies and social issues related to Hindutva, often with a focus on political impacts. The Times of India might be expected to focus on international perspectives more through the lens of India’s global image, trade relations, and foreign policy.

The Hindu, known for its intellectual rigor and comprehensive reporting, is viewed as adopting a more left-centrist perspective (Ninan, 2007). It critically examines the rise of Hindutva and its implications for secularism, social justice, and minority rights. The Hindu is more likely to contextualize Hindutva within global trends of nationalism and right-wing politics, drawing comparisons with similar movements worldwide. These newspapers thus provide contrasting editorial lenses through which international conflicts can be analysed.

Intercultural Communication Theories

The application of intercultural theories, specifically third-culture building and cultural convergence theory, can provide insightful lenses through which to examine the coverage of international conflicts.

Third-Culture Building

This concept explores how communication creates new, shared cultural understandings (Casrnir, 1999). It aids in examining how Indian media integrates local and global narratives. Within the scope of this study, we might encounter that both newspapers are engaging in a form of third-culture building by incorporating a variety of international perspectives and by engaging with diverse sources and voices.

Cultural Convergence Theory

This theory suggests that through sustained intercultural communication and globalization, cultures tend to become more similar over time, adopting shared values and practices. (Barnett & Kincaid, 1983). It helps evaluate the alignment of Indian media coverage with global perspectives. The reporting styles, choice of stories, and frames applied might show convergence towards global journalistic standards, influenced by Western media practices and the ubiquitous nature of digital communication.

Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)

This study employs CDA to examine how language constructs social realities and power dynamics within newspaper articles. By analysing the discourse, we can understand how The Times of India and The Hindu frame the conflicts and reflect underlying ideological currents (Fairclough, 1995). For this study, only editorials were considered for the data analysis. Editorials reflect how media organizations frame certain issues and what they consider important. Analysing these pieces reveal underlying biases, priorities, and the methods by which media organizations shape public discourse (Entman, 1993).

The data was gathered from online versions of news from the Times of India and The Hindu for a period of one year after the outbreak of war between Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine using search terms such as, Israel, Palestine, Russia, Ukraine, Muslim, Islam, humanitarian, etc. The dates for Russia-Ukraine war were provided as February 24, 2022, to February 23, 2023. The dates for the Israel-Palestine were provided as October 7, 2023, to October 6, 2024. For the Times of India, eight editorials were dedicated to Israel-Palestine war and nine had relevant mention of the Russia-Ukraine war. For The Hindu, six editorials mentioned the Russia-Ukraine war with two only having fleeting reference to the war. The Israel-Palestine war yielded eight editorials in The Hindu with two having only passing remarks leaving a total number of six.

Analysis: The Times of India

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Duality of Views

The Times of India’s (TOI) coverage emphasizes the geopolitical and economic ramifications for India, with nuanced support for Russia’s security concerns, reflecting India’s long-standing ties with Russia (Gupta & Sidhartha, 2022). Since Hindutva, as an ideological paradigm, emphasizes the primacy of Hindu culture and values in Indian societal and political life, by situating the conflict within India’s strategic interests, the newspaper aligns with a broader Hindutva narrative that prioritizes national security over global ethical considerations. None of the editorials articulated criticism of Russia’s decision to wage war in Ukraine.

In the TOI coverage, it is easy to identify the balance of coverage avoiding overly critical narratives towards either side to maintain diplomatic poise. For example, Suraiya (2022) writes that “New Delhi’s tightrope walk between Moscow and Washington is clear” and emphasizing that India’s neutral position on this war might be confusing to outsiders. The confusion arises to those who are not aware of the fact that “Russia has been a far more reliable ally for India, in terms of military and moral support, than the US… (Suraiya, 2022).” Moreover, the TOI editorials repeatedly framed Russia as a longstanding ally as if juxtaposing it against other Western nations that have been more critical of India’s domestic policies under BJP rule. Such a stance is evidenced when Bagchi (2022) writes,

It’s not just that India’s traditional dependence on Russia that now lies in tatters. At least India can do something about it…. It’s not enough for Indian leaders to say this is not India’s war. It is rapidly becoming India’s war.

Thus, the TOI data presented coverage that focused on how the conflict impacts India directly, such as effects on the economy, Indian students in Ukraine, and grain supplies, rather than delving deeply into the conflict’s ideological underpinnings abroad.

Israel-Palestine Conflict: Tightropes Galore

The TOI exhibits a slight pro-Israel bias, mirroring Hindutva’s admiration for Israel’s defence policies and nationalist stance (Rahman, 2023). This perspective is evident in articles that highlight Israel’s security needs as a democratic nation and take pains to provide historical specificity of the Israeli stance in the war (Arun, 2023; Suraiya, 2023).

Politics that says Israel can do anything in Gaza and Rafah – because Hamas started it – is uncivil. So is politics that says Israel, a rare democracy in West Asia, be condemned as a nation, and Israelis, many of whom are fierce critics of Netanyahu, be tarred as a people (Chakrabarti, 2024).

However, there were a couple of the editorials that were critical of India’s stance on the war, provided vivid description of the crisis in Gaza, and focused on the great suffering that has befallen Palestinians in this war (David, 2023). Such examples humanized the coverage and allowed for readers to visualize the realities of war beyond the geopolitics of India’s and, specifically, Modi’s stance.

The Hindu

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Articulating Balance and Criticism of Russia

The Hindu provides a balanced and critical analysis, examining both the humanitarian crisis and international law implications (Srinivasan, 2022). This stance emphasizes ethical journalism over strategic pragmatism, aligning less with Hindutva ideology. One editorial, for example, argues that the “war is hurting, either militarily or economically, all sides…, and that the way forward is a ceasefire followed by peace talks between Russia and Ukraine” (How India looks, 2022). In fact, the editorials call out Vladimir Putin on his continued irrationality in waging the war. The Hindu was categorical in pointing out that any concern Modi has expressed about Russia’s war does not come from a moral or ideological standpoint and that it would be wrong to read Mr. Modi’s engagement with Mr. Putin as any kind of “public shaming” (Era of war, 2019).

Israel-Palestine Conflict: Focus on Humanitarian Crisis turned to Searing Criticism of Israel

The Hindu’s coverage started off more balanced, critically assessing actions from both sides and focusing heavily on the humanitarian impacts on Palestinians (Johny, 2024). This narrative shifted to searing criticism of Israel as the war progressed and spilled over from month to month. This representation contrasts with the slight pro-Israel bias prevalent in TOI, reflecting The Hindu’s commitment to liberal values. The editorials repeatedly call out “… Israel’s brutal, indiscriminate attack on the defenceless Palestinians” (Bloody Thursday, 2024) and point towards how “Israel has successfully turned Gaza into a bombed-out enclave of death, misery and hunger”.

Discussion

Based on the analysis provided in this study and contextualizing the findings within the scope of intercultural communication theories, the TOI seems to aim at building a third culture by contextualizing international conflicts within India’s strategic interests. For instance, its coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict often draws parallels to India’s strategic autonomy (Gupta & Sidhartha, 2022). This approach somewhat reinforces Hindutva ideology by framing global events through a nationalist lens. In the Israel-Palestine conflict, the TOI aligns with global pro-Israel narratives but adapts them to resonate with Indian nationalist sentiments, emphasizing shared security concerns (Rahman, 2023). Departing from its traditional non-alignment stance, India is opting to maximize its position within the US-led order by prioritizing relations with Israel. India’s foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly with Israel, aligns with its wider strategic goals within US-led frameworks. The Hindu does not showcase any aspect of third culture building in its reportage of both conflicts.

In terms of the cultural convergence theory, the TOI narrative on Russia-Ukraine war shows selective convergence with global media in its cautiousness in portraying Russia’s security concerns, reflecting alignment with broader geopolitical pragmatism influenced by India’s strategic considerations (Gupta & Sidhartha, 2022). The Hindu too aligned with this theory but in a very unique way when it came to the Russia-Ukraine war. Its critical assessment of Russia’s actions and focus on the humanitarian crisis shows alignment with Western liberal media, reflecting convergence towards liberal international values (Srinivasan, 2022).

Coverage of the Israel-Palestine war in TOI showcases significant convergence with global pro-Israel narratives, aligning with Hindutva’s supportive view of Israel’s security policies (Arun, 2023). However, The Hindu, with its balanced to heavily critical portrayal of Israel, converges with liberal global media, emphasizing human rights and humanitarian concerns, showcasing cultural convergence towards ethical journalism.

The TOI coverage reflects Hindutva ideology through nationalist rhetoric. Its portrayal of the Russia-Ukraine conflict highlights India’s strategic interests, subtly favouring Russia, while its pro-Israel bias in the Israel-Palestine conflict aligns with Hindutva’s admiration for Israel and aspiration for friendship with the US. The language used often emphasizes strategic aspects, reflecting a pragmatic approach aligned with Hindutva ideology. Terms like “strategic autonomy” and “security concerns” are prevalent, framing conflicts within India’s national interests (Gupta & Sidhartha, 2022).

The Hindu, one the other hand, maintains journalistic integrity by providing balanced and critical coverage. Its focus on humanitarian issues and ethical considerations signifies resistance to ideological influence, promoting a more liberal discourse. The discourse makes use of terms such as “humanitarian crisis”, “international law”, and “ethical journalism”. This language reflects a commitment to balanced reporting and liberal values, often critiquing Russia and Israel for unnecessarily inflicting indiscriminate harm on vast number of innocent lives (Hasan, 2024; Johny, 2024).

Conclusion

The present comparative analysis reveals significant differences in the coverage of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts between the TOI and The Hindu. The influence of Hindutva on the TOI’s portrayal of the Russia-Ukraine war is slight, but it is there. However, Hintuva influence is more pronounced in coverage of the Israel-Palestine war that emphasizes strategic interests and nationalist rhetoric. The Hindu maintains a balanced to critical (of power) approach, focusing on humanitarian and ethical considerations. The application of intercultural communication theories and critical discourse analysis highlights the role of media in shaping and reflecting cultural and political ideologies. It reveals that the cultural perspective behind the interpretation of foreign wars is not monolithic but diversified and layered, reflecting the various cultures within Indian society, including those of media’s political leanings. Future research could extend this analysis by incorporating audience reception studies to gauge public perception influenced by such media coverage.

 

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Dr. Sudeshna Roy is the Lucius W. Nieman Chair of Journalism at Marquette University, USA. She specializes in media studies, focusing on intercultural communication, global media dynamics, and the role of media in conflict resolution. Her work has been published in leading international peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Communication, Journal of Media Ethics, Media, War & Conflict, International Communication Gazette, and others. She is also the co-editor of two books and the Chair of Intercultural Communication Division of the International Communication Association and the International Communication Section of International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR).