A joint investigation by Amnesty International and The Washington Post revealed India's government employing the intrusive Pegasus spyware against high-profile journalists. The report, released recently, highlighted repeated instances of Pegasus targeting journalists, including one who had previously fallen victim to an attack using the same spyware.

Pegasus, developed by the Israeli NSO Group, grants access to a phone’s messages, emails, photos, call eavesdropping, location tracking, and even camera usage. Its widespread utilization against journalists and activists across numerous countries, including India, has drawn concern from watchdogs.

Notably, journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale were identified as targets on their iPhones, with the most recent case dated October 2023. Amnesty's Security Lab unearthed evidence of a zero-click exploit, allowing covert Pegasus installation on Mangnale’s device.

The unlawful surveillance faced by journalists has raised alarm, with Amnesty condemning these acts as privacy infringements and violations of freedom of expression. Despite prior accusations and revelations, accountability remains elusive, intensifying concerns about human rights violations in India.

Press freedom in India has reportedly declined during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, with the country dropping significantly in global press freedom rankings. The government, yet to respond to these allegations, faces growing scrutiny over its use of surveillance tactics against journalists solely for carrying out their journalistic duties.