New Delhi – When National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval recently pointed out the foreign media’s bias against India’s interests, he highlighted a growing truth of modern warfare — it’s no longer just about missiles and drones, but also about shaping global perception and controlling the narrative.
Operation Sindoor stands as a powerful example of this hybrid warfare strategy. Few recent military actions have demonstrated such precision — striking Pakistani military assets across multiple locations without harming civilians or damaging civilian infrastructure. But the real battleground extended beyond geography — it played out in headlines, tweets, and televised debates.
In today’s hyper-connected world, the ability to sway public opinion is as critical as any weapon. Social media and 24/7 news coverage can amplify or undermine a military operation in real time. Operation Sindoor exemplified this dual strategy: military precision on the ground paired with a fight to control the global narrative.
While the Indian forces executed a highly coordinated strike across Pakistan, targeting key installations like air bases in Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, and Chaklala, the information war escalated. Misinformation, fake videos, and propaganda rapidly circulated across digital platforms. Pakistan and its allies launched a full-scale media assault to downplay India’s success — a strategy that Doval referenced during his speech at the 62nd Convocation of IIT Madras on July 11.
He directly challenged media reports that tried to paint India as the aggressor. “Show me even a broken glass pane on Indian soil,” he said, underscoring the surgical precision of India’s response and the deliberate distortion by some global media outlets. The only verifiable destruction was on the Pakistani side, where 13 of their air bases were reportedly hit.
What complicated matters further was the domestic political response. Comments from opposition leaders, particularly Rahul Gandhi, questioning the effectiveness of the operation, were picked up and amplified by Pakistani media — weakening India’s messaging at a crucial time. While internal political debate is healthy in a democracy, critics argue that such statements, especially in the immediate aftermath of a national security operation, risk giving fuel to the enemy’s propaganda machine.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Whether during the 1965 and 1999 wars, the 2016 surgical strikes, the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, or now Operation Sindoor, mainstream Western media has often shown a pattern of underplaying Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism, while questioning India’s right to defend itself.
An exception came recently when the US House Foreign Affairs Committee openly criticised The New York Times for its coverage of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, particularly for using terms like “militants” and “gunmen” instead of calling them what they were — terrorists. It marked a rare and significant pushback from a key international body against biased reporting.
Still, the overall trend remains troubling. Major Western media outlets and digital platforms continue to fall short of offering fair and balanced coverage of Pakistan-backed terrorism and India’s security challenges. This skewed narrative distorts the global understanding of regional dynamics and undermines international efforts to counter terrorism.
In this context, Ajit Doval’s remarks serve as a wake-up call. India must not only secure its borders but also safeguard its global image. Operation Sindoor has reaffirmed India’s military prowess — but it also underlined the urgent need for a sophisticated media strategy that can combat disinformation, assert India’s truth, and lead the narrative in international discourse.
With inputs from IANS