Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has strongly contested The Washington Post’s recent report, alleging that the Indian government targeted Apple following the company’s warning to independent Indian journalists and politicians about potential iPhone hacking attempts.
Chandrasekhar, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), dismissed The Washington Post’s report as “half facts, fully embellished,” calling it “terrible” and “tiresome.” He highlighted the incomplete nature of the story and emphasized that Apple’s response on October 31, the day of the threat notifications, was crucial and left out of the narrative.
The Washington Post’s story, published on December 27, claimed that certain journalists were targeted with spyware on their iPhones, with the latest case identified in October. The report suggested swift action by Indian officials against Apple after the company’s warning.
Chandrasekhar, however, stressed that the Ministry of Electronics & IT and his consistent response have been clear – it is for Apple to explain if their devices are vulnerable and what triggered the threat notifications. He noted that Apple was asked to join an inquiry with the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, and meetings have been held with the inquiry still ongoing.
The Union Minister criticized the story as “creative imagination & clickbaiting at work masquerading as journalism,” underlining the need for a focus on facts and accurate reporting.
