Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera, Director General of Assam Rifles, on Friday, 21 August cautioned the youth against coordinated malicious campaigns on social media platforms, warning that such narratives pose a direct threat to societal stability and the credibility of security forces in India's Northeast. He made the remarks at the Annual Maj Bob Khathing Memorial Lecture held at the United Service Institution of India (USI) in New Delhi.

Key Developments at the Memorial Lecture

The event, jointly organised by Assam Rifles and USI, centred on the theme: 'Weaponisation of Social Media Platforms in the North East to Spread False Narrative against the Security Forces and Suggested Lines of Effort to Counter the Same.' Noted author and Northeast security commentator Subir Bhaumik delivered the principal lecture, drawing on his extensive field experience to map the evolving information environment in the region.

Lieutenant General Abhijit S. Pendharkar, Director General of Military Operations, delivered the keynote address. He argued that understanding Major Bob Khathing's legacy underscores a critical truth — leadership in the Northeast demands equal command of security imperatives and social trust-building. Vice Admiral Sanjay J. Singh (Retd), Director General of USI, also highlighted Khathing's enduring contributions.

The Social Media Threat Landscape

Bhaumik's address examined how social media has increasingly been used to spread propaganda against security forces, manipulate public perception, and erode institutional credibility. According to a defence spokesperson, the lecture identified misinformation and coordinated narrative campaigns as emerging challenges and proposed practical counter-measures.

This comes amid a broader national conversation about information warfare in conflict-sensitive regions. The Northeast, given its complex ethnic fabric and history of insurgency, has been identified by security analysts as particularly vulnerable to influence operations conducted through digital platforms.

Who Is Major Bob Khathing

Major Bob Khathing is a celebrated military leader and statesman whose legacy is inseparable from India's Northeastern frontier. On 17 January 1951, he led a team on foot from Chariduar, Assam, through harsh terrain and extreme weather conditions, reaching Tawang on 6 February 1951. After engaging with local leaders and residents, Indian administration was formally established in Tawang on 9 February 1951 — a milestone in national integration and frontier consolidation. The Arunachal Pradesh government has erected a memorial to him at Tawang, on land donated by the local community.

Broader Significance

The Annual Maj Bob Khathing Memorial Lecture has become a key forum for strategic discourse on Northeast security. Friday's edition brought together senior military officers, veterans, strategic affairs experts, academics, and media professionals for an interactive session that followed Bhaumik's address. As digital platforms grow more pervasive, security establishments are increasingly treating information operations as a frontline challenge — not a secondary concern. How institutions respond to this threat in the Northeast will shape both public trust and operational effectiveness in the years ahead.