EXCLUSIVE: Indian Delegation in Israel
They Want to Show Indians the Real Israel. Will It Work?
Israeli initiative brings journalists from southern India to establish direct media connections and provide unfiltered perspectives to regional audiences, bypassing Western news agencies.
In exclusive interview to JFeed, an international delegation from Insdian journalists, told their story.
In a new initiative aimed at reshaping media narratives in India, a delegation of journalists from the country's southern states has been in Israel this September. The group's agenda, according to a press officer for the Israeli government, was to establish direct connections with Israeli sources and provide their regional audiences with a perspective unfiltered by Western news agencies.
"We wanted them to see, to understand, the Israeli person's perspective," said the press officer to Jfeed. He works for the Consulate of Israel in Bangalore. The delegation includes five journalists each from the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
The press officer, who requested anonymity, explained that the primary goal is to reach regional audiences in India's diverse linguistic landscape.
"In India, almost 50 million publications reach people through regional languages," he said to JFeed, noting that these audiences "don't see the international news" and rely heavily on global news agencies like Reuters and the BBC.
The delegation's visit is intended to bypass this reliance, creating a direct conduit for news from Israel.
"Let them have a point of contact to get the news, they can write it on their own based on their perception," the official said to JFeed. He also explicitly stated a goal to counter "western media propaganda," calling it a main agenda item for the trip.
When asked about the public sentiment in India, the press officer was quick to address a common misconception. "There's no anti-Semitism in India. That is for sure," he stated. He acknowledged that while a small minority, primarily Muslims, may be critical of Israel, "most of the Indians are supporters of Israel." He specifically cited admiration for Israel's advancements in agriculture and defense.
Regarding the ongoing conflict, he noted that most Indians believe "Israel is doing right," but are swayed by what he called "false videos" from Palestinian sources aimed at generating sympathy. He concluded that Israel "should do something for that" to counter what he sees as propaganda.
The delegation's trip highlights a growing effort to forge direct media ties between nations, bypassing traditional international news channels and addressing regional media landscapes with a more tailored approach.