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Foreign Policy Narratives in Regional Language Newspapers

  • Dr Kanta Verma

Keywords:

Foreign policy narratives; regional language press; vernacular media; public opinion; framing; India

Abstract

This manuscript examines the construction and dissemination of foreign policy narratives in regional language newspapers across India, offering an in-depth analysis of how vernacular media shapes public perceptions of international affairs. Through a comprehensive content analysis of 1,250 articles published in leading Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, and Telugu dailies between January and December 2024, complemented by 75 semi-structured interviews with editors and readers, the study uncovers the strategic framing devices and localized storytelling techniques that make diplomatic developments resonate with diverse regional audiences. It demonstrates that while national English-language outlets primarily reproduce official communiqués and elite commentary, regional newspapers contextualize foreign policy in terms of local livelihoods, cultural identities, and developmental aspirations—highlighting issues such as labor migration, agricultural trade, and diaspora relations that directly affect their readership.
The findings reveal distinct thematic emphases: security narratives dominate in border and Hindi-speaking regions, economic opportunity frames prevail in coastal southern states, and cultural diplomacy occupies significant space in Bengali and Marathi media. Editors consciously “vernacularize” content by drawing analogies with local industries—comparing port expansions to traditional fishing practices or likening infrastructure projects abroad to regional road networks—to enhance relevance and trust. Reader interviews corroborate these editorial strategies, showing that localized framing fosters higher engagement, greater issue salience, and more nuanced public debate on international matters.
By illuminating the dynamic interplay between editorial framing and grassroots reception, this research underscores the pivotal role of vernacular press as a democratizing force in India’s foreign policy discourse. It challenges the conventional elite-centric model of diplomatic communication and calls for policymakers to craft outreach strategies that leverage regional idioms and media channels. The study contributes to scholarship on media effects, agenda-setting, and political communication in multilingual societies, and suggests pathways for more inclusive, context-sensitive public diplomacy.

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How to cite

Dr Kanta Verma (2026). Foreign Policy Narratives in Regional Language Newspapers. International Journal of Research in All Subjects in Multi Languages, 14(11), 5-10.

Licence

This article is open access, published under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Copyright remains with the authors.