Indian Authorities Use New York Times Report to Target Press in a Weaponized Manner

Indian authorities have targeted independent news site NewsClick following the publication of a New York Times report linking the site to a global network allegedly receiving funds from a US tech billionaire for publishing Chinese propaganda. The crackdown involved raids, questioning of journalists and contributors, and the arrest of NewsClick's founder-editor and human resources chief. The raids have been condemned by press freedom groups, but many violations of press freedom in India go unnoticed due to the country's perceived role as a counterweight to China. The government's use of the New York Times report to target the press threatens democratic values and press freedoms.