Trust the Indian defence establishment’s public information division with inaccurate information.
The Indian Army’s Additional Director General of Public Information put out a tweet on March 28, saying that “Shri Pranay Verma, #Ambassador of #India to #Bangladesh, called on #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS and discussed a range of geostrategic issues. They exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, focusing on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation enhancing military collaboration and exploring avenues for joint initiatives for strengthening regional security”.
The ADGPI, Indian Army, is a senior officer who is expected to have all facts, related to a meeting of such critical importance, at his command. And yet, it did not occur to the ADGPI that India has a high commissioner and not an ambassador in Dhaka.
Secondly, while Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi may have “discussed a range of geostrategic issues” with Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka, Pranay Verma, it is certainly not in the envoy’s remit to “exchange views” on “strengthening bilateral defence cooperation enhancing military collaboration and exploring avenues for joint initiatives for strengthening regional security”.
It is not known who at the ADGPI’s office drafted the tweet, but clearly whoever wrote and posted the message on X (formerly Twitter) should have asked himself whether an Indian high commissioner would discuss “bilateral defence cooperation” to enhance “military cooperation” and “exploring avenues for joint initiative for strengthening regional security” with his own country’s Army chief.
Till 5:10 pm of March 28, the tweet had attracted over 90,000 views, with 45 people retweeting it and 250 liking it.
When Northeast News contacted Colonel Ram Murthy, who works in the ADGPI’s office, he said that it (the blunder in the tweet) was a “serious matter” and that he would convey this to his superior.
However, when the ADGPI’s phone number was sought, Col Ram Murthy immediately donned his “secrecy” hat on. He asked whether this correspondent had called him on a “secure line”.
When pointed out that only the ADGPI’s phone number – which shouldn’t be a state secret – was sought, Col Ram Murthy turned even more cagey and tried to stonewall.
The tweet was deleted at 8.58 PM, and a fresh one was put out. Only the word ‘ambassador’ was replaced by ‘High Commissioner’. But, the damage appears to have already been done.
It may be true that Pranay Verma may have met Gen Dwivedi on March 28, but even he would have reasons to complain about the general level of ignorance in the defence establishment.
