Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), the National Defence University of Gujarat Monday kickstarted an 11-day residential workshop on National Security Journalism.
The workshop has been designed to help journalists understand the changing dimensions of national security and their role in ensuring accurate, ethical and fact-based reporting.
As many as 42 participants including journalists, research scholars and academicians are part of the programme organised under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GoI).
The journalists from Kashmir who are part of the programme include Muneeb ul Haq, Sheikh Saleem Bin Ahmad, Syed Rizwan Geelani, Suhail Khan and Waris Fayaz.
The workshop is being organised by the School of International Cooperation, Security and Strategic Languages (SICSSL) to strengthen reporting on national security and strategic affairs.
The programme aims to enhance the professional capacity of journalists by equipping them with a deeper understanding of national security, ethical reporting, and the evolving information landscape.
Addressing the inaugural session, the Pro Vice-Chancellor RRU Prof. (Dr) Kalpesh H. Wandra said the national security today extends far beyond the protection of territorial borders and encompasses information warfare, digital technologies, strategic communication, fact verification, and responsible journalism.
“The initiative seeks to build stronger engagement between the media and the national security ecosystem while promoting responsible dissemination of information in the public interest,” Prof. Wandra said.
He said the sessions will focus on contemporary security challenges, strategic communication, information integrity, and the responsibilities of journalists in reporting on national security-related issues.
“The programme is expected to strengthen journalists’ professional capabilities and foster informed, balanced and responsible coverage of national security matters,” he added.
The National Security Journalism Programme is an 11-day residential capacity-building initiative designed for a select group of journalists representing national, state and regional media organisations.
The workshop combines expert-led sessions, interactions with practitioners, case-based learning, practical reporting tools and structured field exposure to strengthen journalists’ understanding of security-related issues.
The training will focus on reporting related to defence, internal security, terrorism, border management, coastal security, cyber incidents, public order, disasters, critical infrastructure and other national security concerns.
The participants will also visit key national security institutions to gain first-hand operational exposure.
“National security reporting has become increasingly significant in the digital age, where media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception during security events,” Pro VC RRU said.
He further said that the rapid growth of digital platforms has accelerated the spread of misinformation and hostile narratives, making responsible journalism more essential than ever.
The programme seeks to equip journalists with the domain knowledge, contextual understanding and verification skills required to report security issues accurately, responsibly and in a manner that strengthens democratic discourse.
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