Post-independence India's foreign policy evolved from non-alignment to a more active role in the global order, particularly with its engagement in the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) in 2017. This paper investigates the crucial role of media narratives in maintaining a coherent national identity amidst this shift. The study focuses on the *Times of India* (TOI), a highly influential Indian newspaper, analyzing its portrayal of India's IPS from June 2019 to May 2021. The central research question is how the TOI's framing of India's IPS contributes to its ontological security—a sense of continuity and order—and the communication of its global ambitions. Ontological security, deeply connected to cultural and historical identity, is maintained through narratives that promote national pride and unity. While existing scholarship addresses the IPS, the role of media in shaping its narrative remains under-examined. This study employs Entman's framing theory to analyze 47 TOI reports, exploring how the TOI constructs a narrative that positions India as a potential world leader while addressing its security concerns.

Existing research extensively covers India's geopolitical history, developmental trajectory, and diplomatic strategies concerning the IPS (Choong, 2019; Yoshimatsu, 2018). However, the critical role played by domestic and foreign media in promoting this strategy has been largely overlooked. This study bridges this gap by examining how the TOI's narratives shape public understanding and acceptance of India's evolving foreign policy. The concept of ontological security, introduced by Giddens and elaborated upon by scholars like Steele (2008) and Kinnvall (2019), provides a crucial framework for understanding how the nation's identity is constructed and maintained through narratives, particularly in times of perceived threat. Studies on the relationship between the Indian media and the central government highlight the close ties and the media's reflection of mainstream ideologies (Varadarajan, 2011; Thomas, 2014; Mann, 2016; Li, 2022). This context establishes the significance of analyzing the TOI's framing of the IPS.

This study uses Entman's (1993) framing theory as its conceptual framework. Entman defines framing as the selection and salience of aspects of perceived reality in a communicating text. The four functions of framing—defining problems, diagnosing causes, making moral judgments, and suggesting remedies—are employed to analyze the TOI's coverage. The research subject is the *Times of India*, India's largest-selling English newspaper, with a significant readership among educated elites. Data collection involved gathering all TOI reports between June 2019 and May 2021 containing the phrase "Indo-Pacific strategy." This timeframe was chosen to encompass India's response to the U.S. Department of Defense's Indo-Pacific Strategic Report (June 2019). A total of 47 reports were analyzed, including journalistic reports, editorials, commentaries, and reprints, authored by diverse individuals, including journalists, government officials, academics, and military personnel. The data analysis involved meticulous examination of each report to identify Entman's four framing functions and the persuasive strategies used. The analysis then explored how the TOI's framing constructs salient realities of the Indo-Pacific strategy, shapes India's self-perception (actual and imagined), and contributes to the nation's ontological security and the projection of geopolitical ambitions.

The analysis revealed two interwoven frames in the TOI's coverage of the IPS: (1) Safeguarding National Security and (2) Envisioning National Identity. The first frame depicts China's rise as a threat to the existing global order, emphasizing China's aggression towards neighboring countries (Vietnam, Japan) and human rights violations. The TOI strategically connects this with historical Sino-Indian tensions, emphasizing territorial sovereignty as a core element of India's national identity. To contrast this, a positive image of Japan is presented, despite its past, positioning it as a key partner in a free and open Indo-Pacific. The TOI subtly downplays India's traditional non-alignment policy and presents its participation in the IPS as necessary to counter China's threat, implicitly advocating for a closer alignment with the U.S. while emphasizing the Modi government's approach as superior to the U.S. strategy. The second frame constructs an India that is similar to yet distinct from the U.S. India, according to the TOI, is presented as a moral leader championing multilateralism and inclusivity, thus presenting an alternative to the unilateralism perceived during the Trump administration. The TOI highlights India's commitment to regional cooperation through initiatives like the Quad, but also expresses concern over the potential for the Quad to be too heavily influenced by the U.S. While acknowledging the benefits of a partnership with the U.S., the TOI consistently emphasizes India's independence and its unique vision for the Indo-Pacific. This involved the promotion of initiatives to establish a regional supply chain independent of China, and to strengthen alliances with countries in the region. The TOI frames India as a moral and spiritual leader, ready to guide the region towards peace and development. The analysis also highlights the continued influence of the Nehruvian legacy of non-alignment, despite the shift in foreign policy, showing a nuanced understanding of India's position within the IPS. The TOI also addresses concerns about an uncertain relationship with the U.S., citing issues such as the ambiguous Sino-U.S. relationship and American ambivalence toward Kashmir, thus highlighting the need for India to maintain its independence and strategic autonomy.

The findings demonstrate how the TOI constructs a narrative that effectively addresses India's ontological security concerns while simultaneously projecting its global ambitions. By presenting a nuanced view of the IPS, acknowledging both the benefits and risks of aligning with the U.S. while still emphasizing India's unique role, the TOI creates a compelling narrative that resonates with its target audience. This study illustrates the potent influence of media in shaping public opinion and national identity. The framing strategies employed by the TOI are not merely descriptive; they are active attempts to shape the perception of India's role in the world and to legitimize its foreign policy choices. The interplay between the nation's ontological security, national identity, and the media's framing is clearly demonstrated. The emphasis on India's moral and spiritual exceptionalism serves to bolster national pride and provide a framework for understanding and accepting the shift away from non-alignment. The study's findings contribute to the broader understanding of the relationship between media, national identity, and foreign policy in the context of the rising Indo-Pacific geopolitical landscape.

This study reveals how the *Times of India*, through strategic framing, contributes to the construction of India's national identity and ontological security within the context of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. The TOI presents a narrative that positions India as a unique and influential global player, balancing its strategic partnerships with a commitment to independence and its own vision for regional stability and development. Future research should expand this analysis to other media outlets, focusing on diverse audiences and linguistic contexts to explore the full spectrum of media’s influence on the shaping of India’s national identity and its evolving foreign policy.

The study's focus on the *Times of India* limits its generalizability, as other media outlets might present different narratives. The timeframe of the analysis restricts the scope to the specific period examined, potentially missing broader trends. The analysis is limited to 47 articles, possibly not encompassing all relevant coverage. Future research should address these limitations by examining a wider range of media sources and analyzing a longer period to enhance the study's comprehensiveness and generalizability.