Unmasking Disinformation Campaign Against the Arakan Army

By GAN

Shortgread: Opinions                                       June 10, 2025

Fake News Photo (photocrd)

The Arakan Army (AA), fighting for autonomy in Myanmar’s Arakan State, has become a target of disinformation, with some Indian media and a Global Defense Corp article claiming that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the United States are arming the AA to sabotage China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, like the Kyaukphyu port and pipelines.

These accusations, surfacing prominently in 2025, cast the AA as a proxy in a US-India plot against China’s strategic interests. But the claims lack credible evidence, relying on speculation and reflecting the India-China rivalry, ethnic tensions, and regional power struggles. The AA’s actions, rooted in its pursuit of Arakan self-governance, are being distorted to serve external agendas, risking further instability in an already volatile region.

The Global Defense Corp article alleges that RAW is channeling arms to the AA to disrupt China’s Kyaukphyu port, a key part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), while the US is supposedly coordinating with Bangladesh to supply the AA through a “humanitarian corridor” near the Naf River. It points to a March 2025 visit by US Pacific Command’s JB Vowell to Dhaka as evidence of this plot. Yet, no primary sources—arms transfer records, official statements, or verified reports—substantiate these claims.

This narrative echo earlier Indian media stories, like a 2020 TFI Post piece accusing China of arming the AA with 500 assault rifles and 50 surface-to-air missiles to sabotage India’s Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. The contradiction—claiming the AA serves both China and its rivals—reveals these stories as inconsistent attempts to scapegoat the AA.

By 2025, the AA controls 15 of Arakan’s 17 townships, including the Bangladesh border, and has seized key junta bases like Ann’s Western Command and parts of the China-Myanmar pipeline. Its military successes stem from local support and captured junta weapons, not foreign arms, as seen in its takeover of pipeline stations.

AA soldiers at Southernmost Areas of Arakan (photo-aainfodesk)

The AA’s political wing, the United League of Arakan (ULA), governs through the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government (APRG), managing health, education, and judicial systems in controlled areas. Its goal is confederate autonomy within Myanmar, not targeting foreign investments. In December 2024, the AA pledged to protect projects like India’s Kaladan and China’s Kyaukphyu projects if they benefit Arakan, directly contradicting claims of sabotage.

The India-China rivalry fuels this disinformation. China’s BRI investments, including Kyaukphyu’s port and pipelines, give it strategic access to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Malacca Strait. India posts with the $484 million Kaladan project, linking its northeastern states to Sittwe port. Some Indian media, reflecting nationalist fears, portray the AA as a threat, earlier accusing it of Chinese backing and now flipping to allege US-India collusion. These narratives distract from India’s challenges in securing Kaladan amid the AA’s growing influence.

India’s media landscape amplifies this disinformation. Outlets like TFI Post and Global Defense Corp often push nationalist narratives, framing the AA as a threat to rally domestic support against China. In 2020, the AA condemned Indian media for falsely linking it to the Arakan Muslim Salvation Army (ARSA), a claim debunked by the UN. These stories exploit ethnic tensions, portraying the AA as anti-Muslim to undermine its governance efforts. While the AA has faced criticism for human rights issues, its focus remains on Arakan autonomy, not foreign agendas.

The AA’s diplomacy counters these claims. In 2024, it met Indian officials, including MP K. Vanlalvena, pledging support for Kaladan. It also engages Bangladesh on Muslim refugee repatriation, despite border tensions. The AA’s continued offensives near Kyaukphyu reflect its autonomy, not US-India orchestration.

IDPs in Arakan (photocrd)

This disinformation has serious consequences. It fuels ethnic mistrust, hindering the AA’s efforts to build inclusive governance through the APRG. It risks escalating India-China tensions, as both vie for Arakan’s strategic corridor. India’s trade blockade, led by Mizoram’s Central Young Lai Association, already pressures the AA over Paletwa. False US-India claims could justify harsher measures, alienating the AA. Bangladesh, hosting nearly a million Muslim, faces added strain as disinformation complicates repatriation.

Transparency is key to countering this. Indian media must verify claims, as unverified stories violate ethics, as the AA noted in 2020. India should deepen AA engagement to secure Kaladan while supporting Arakan stability.