Dr Ganesh Malhotra
The realm of conflict has evolved, transcending traditional boundaries, as instantaneous communication, satellite imaging, viral hashtags, and AI-generated content redefine the landscape of engagement. Conflicts unfold within the confines of newsrooms, across the vast expanse of social media, and within the innermost thoughts and emotions of individuals around the world.
The heinous massacre of innocent tourists at Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, signified a pivotal moment in India’s enduring struggle against Pakistan’s asymmetric strategies, particularly in the realm of narrative warfare. While the attack sparked immediate public outrage and sorrow, the real battle began in the realm of information. As expected, Pakistan launched a massive disinformation campaign to hide its involvement and turn the issue into a global issue. Operation Sindoor, a comprehensive military and counter-propaganda campaign that followed, was a pivotal Indian reaction that showed narrative warfare could no longer be confined to the fringes of national security discourse.
The Pakistani propaganda apparatus quickly mobilized after the Pahalgam Massacre. Islamabad’s collaborators in the world press and on social media launched an effort that cast doubt on the incident’s veracity, implying possible Indian state collusion, and promoting claims that it was a “false flag” operation.Bot accounts, coordinated messaging, deepfakes, and hashtags have all been used to damage India’s reputation internationally and lessen popular indignation. Their goal was clear: to keep Jammu and Kashmir a controversial area in the eyes of the world by deflecting attention away from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and portraying India as a human rights violator.
Pakistan has previously engaged in information warfare. Pakistan has frequently used grey areas to spread anti-Indian sentiments, particularly through think tanks, social media, and diaspora activism. But the audaciousness and scope of the 2025 campaign were what set it apart. Over 12,000 coordinated posts promoting conspiracy theories and anti-Indian sentiments surfaced on X (previously Twitter), Instagram, and Telegram within hours of the Pahalgam disaster.
The Indian government, for the first time, reacted to this assault with measured speed by launching Operation Sindoor. However, Operation Sindoor is not a kinetic retaliation; rather, it was a well-thought-out military and information counteroffensive that included diplomacy, academia, digital media, and intelligence.
There were three verticals in the operation. Initially, the digital traces of the propaganda ecosystem were traced using intelligence inputs from cyber agencies, Indian armed forces, and intelligence agencies. Key influencers, Pakistani-based bot networks, and synchronized messaging patterns were found. Targeted takedowns and legal reporting on sites like Meta and X were made possible by this forensic digital mapping. Citing platform neutrality violations, India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) brought up the issue immediately with platform heads and demanded prompt resolution.
Second, India weaponized truth. Authentic CCTV footage, drone imagery of infiltration routes, intercepted communications of terrorist handlers, and testimonies from captured terrorists were compiled, this was distributed to over 70 diplomatic missions in New Delhi and Indian missions abroad. For the first time, India also launched a global digital campaign under the hashtag #JusticeForPahalgam, utilizing verified citizen testimonies, survivor accounts, and investigative journalism to counter misinformation. Within 48 hours, the narrative tide began shifting. Influential journalists, neutral think tanks, and global civil society voices began recognizing the orchestrated nature of the Pakistani campaign.
Third, Operation Sindoor is an unparalleled diplomatic offensive. Indian envoys were directed to provide data-supported inputs to parliamentarians, media outlets, and think tanks in major cities, including Washington, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Brussels. India’s Permanent Mission to the UN called a press conference and presented the proof that Pakistan was involved in the incident. France and Australia, two strategic partners, openly expressed their concern about India and categorically denounced the terror assault. This was story of diplomacy in action, not only diplomatic pressure.
The real outcome of Operation Sindoor was the dismantling of the false parity that Pakistan had long enjoyed in international fora. The world started to recognize a basic fact that New Delhi has been saying for a long time: Pakistan is the source of terrorism, not a victim. And this was accomplished not only via military preparedness but also through compelling narratives based on consistency, emotion, and truth.
One important thing to remember from this episode is that strategic communication is important in modern conflict. In the past, conflicts were fought on the battlefield. Now, wars are often won or lost in the thoughts of people all across the world. The age of misinformation has made it harder to tell the difference between war and peace. Truth must remain strong in an ever-changing situation. India’s earlier reluctance to define global narratives on Kashmir, cross-border terrorism, and human rights had led to hostile players. Operation Sindoor was a corrective effort that backed up India’s claim to the truth.
It also signified a maturation in India’s narrative ecosystem. Civil society organizations, social media influencers, academics, and investigative journalists collaborated to project a unified voice. This was not just a state-versus-state narrative war but a national resolve articulated across democratic layers. Organizations like the Vivekananda International Foundation, India Foundation, StratNews Global and many other ran documentaries and held webinars that unpacked the patterns of Pakistani information subversion. Student groups on campuses from JNU to Columbia led awareness campaigns. Indian-origin influencers on YouTube and Instagram used their platforms to highlight survivor stories, breaking language and cultural barriers. This synergy between the state and society must now become institutionalized as India crafts its information warfare doctrine.
However, India must not be complacent. The narrative battle is not won in a single episode. Pakistan’s strategy has always been to wage a thousand cuts-whether through terror or narratives. Its proxy networks are deeply entrenched, and its tactics are evolving-from deepfakes to AI-generated misinformation. What Operation Sindoor has shown is that India can counter, but the counter must be sustained, agile, and multi-layered.
One of the policy gaps that emerged post-Sindoor was the absence of a centralized counter-disinformation agency. While agencies like PIB Fact Check and CERT-In do commendable work, India now needs an integrated National Narrative Security Cell under the National Security Council Secretariat. This body should monitor, pre-empt, and respond to narrative threats, with a mandate to coordinate across ministries, intelligence agencies, and civil society.
Additionally, India must invest in training narrative warriors-content creators, linguists, domain experts, and journalists-who can decode and counter falsehoods in real time. A culture of strategic storytelling, backed by facts but delivered with emotion and conviction, must be inculcated in India’s media and academic ecosystem. For too long, India’s intellectual space has been reactive or fragmented, allowing hostile voices to dominate key global conversations. Operation Sindoor must be the beginning of a shift-towards a proactive, confident, and fact-based projection of India’s voice.
Operation Sindoor reshaped internal security and information warfare. The adversary exploited the Pahalgam Massacre’s narrative vulnerability. Thus, future national security doctrines must prioritize narrative resilience. Community participation, counter-radicalization, digital literacy, and strong anti-misinformation laws must be part of India’s security policy.
India needs to take use of multilateral platforms to advocate for worldwide standards regarding state-sponsored information warfare. The same way that cyberattacks are now recognized by international law, narrative attacks too need to be recognized as aggressive activities. The world must condemn Pakistan for its systematic deception and sanctioned or isolated for terrorism.
In addition to causing sorrow, the Pahalgam tragedy also provided insight. The era of narrative warfare is actual, ongoing, and developing rather than hypothetical. Operation Sindoor demonstrated what can be achieved when the country speaks with one voice and was India’s first coordinated attempt to respond on a large scale. The fight over Kashmir is about more than simply borders and gunfire; it’s also about stories, perceptions, and ideas. If India is to succeed, it needs to take responsibility for its story, defend its facts, and create a narrative ecosystem that is as strong as its military and as durable as its democracy.
Pahalgam was a wound, but Operation Sindoor is the beginning of a healing strategy-a strategy that asserts India’s story, upholds its sovereignty, and exposes the duplicity of its adversaries. The path ahead is long, but the lesson is clear: in the 21st century, narrative is the new frontier, and truth, when told boldly, is the strongest weapon.
In many ways, narrative warfare is the Kurukshetra of modern geopolitics. Just as Lord Krishna wielded words more effectively than weapons to tilt the balance in the Mahabharata, today’s states must win the war of perception to shape global outcomes. Pakistan understood this early on, albeit dishonestly. India, after decades of moral restraint and media neutrality, has finally woken up to the reality that silence is no longer an option.
Operation Sindoor is not just a counter-narrative operation. It is a civilisational assertion. It is India saying that it will no longer let its story be written by others. It marks the beginning of an era where India not only defends its borders but also its truths, values, and identity in the global information sphere.
In the theatre of narrative warfare, truth must not only prevail-it must be heard. And thanks to Operation Sindoor, India is now speaking louder, clearer, and smarter than ever before
(The author is a J&K based Strategic and Political Analyst)
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