Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that information is power and fake news can create disaster of un-imaginable proportion. Addressing the Officer Trainees of the 2022 and 2023 batches of the Indian Information Service (IIS) in New Delhi on Tuesday, Mr. Dhankhar said that as communicators, the IIS officers are the custodians of public trust. He emphasised that IIS officers are equipped to act as a bridge between the citizens and their elected governments. The Vice President directed them to ensure functionality of this which is well-greased by authentic information that carries the highest degree of credibility and sanctity. Mr. Dhankhar said it is the duty of the IIS officers to make information available without adulteration as that will aid in policy formulation.

Mr. Dhankhar called upon the officers to counter the motivated narrative set afloat by global media. He expressed concern over misinformation that leaves great impact on the country’s security and defence mechanism. He emphasised on the need to reach out to the world in a manner that truly reflects the immensity of the journey India has traversed over the past decade. The Vice President stressed the pivotal role of the Indian Information Service in building ‘Brand India’. He advised the officers to be abreast with the latest technologies. Mr. Dhankar said that it is the service of the IIS officers that has made the entire world aware about how the electoral process of Bharat has earned name and fame while braving all odds of weather and terrain. Talking about the stability and maturity of Indian democracy, the Vice President said that Bharat has created a world record in this election with 642 million voters which is the highest ever voter turnout in the world.