In the digital age, wars aren’t just fought on battlefields. They’re waged online too. Pakistan has long mastered the art of psychological warfare, using fake news, doctored visuals, and social media manipulation to distort narratives, especially during times of conflict with India. The recent Operation Sindoor is a textbook example of this disinformation strategy.
Pakistan’s military and intelligence apparatus have consistently employed psychological operations to mislead both domestic and international audiences. These tactics aim to portray India as the aggressor while masking Pakistan’s own involvement in cross-border terrorism.
You may have come across posts on social media by Pakistani nationals slamming India for “killing civilians” and waging full-fledged war on Pakistan. This is because Pakistani politicians, most importantly their Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, have been peddling lies on camera. Pakistani journalists, paid bots, and influencers too have joined the bandwagon.
Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif told Parliament that PAF was ready to intercept Indian aircraft during Operation Sindoor. He claimed 5 Indian jets and 2 drones were downed, adding that restraint was shown despite capability to shoot down more
After getting hit hard in… pic.twitter.com/ORNz2udApc
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) May 7, 2025
Here are a few notable instances where Pakistan used this strategy:
Kargil Conflict (1999): Pakistan initially denied the presence of its soldiers in Kargil, labelling them as “freedom fighters”. Only after mounting evidence did they acknowledge the truth, reported NDTV.
Pulwama Attack (2019): Despite Jaish-e-Mohammed claiming responsibility for the suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian CRPF personnel, Pakistan denied any involvement, says Hindustan Times.
Balakot Airstrikes (2019): Following India’s airstrikes on terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan claimed no damage occurred, even as independent reports suggested otherwise, reported New York Times.
After India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan, a barrage of fake news emerged from Pakistani sources. Here’s a look at some of the fabricated claims:
Downing of Indian Jets: Pakistan’s military claimed to have shot down multiple Indian fighter jets, including a Rafale. However, India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked these assertions, confirming all aircraft returned safely.
Where’s the evidence for five Indian fighter jets shot down by Pakistan?
Defence minister: It’s all over social media.. pic.twitter.com/dfPGX95JX3
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) May 7, 2025
Strikes on Indian Military Bases: False reports circulated about Pakistani attacks on Indian military installations in Amritsar. These were later identified as recycled footage from unrelated incidents.
Pakistani accounts are circulating a video and claiming that the Pakistan Air Force destroyed an Indian military base in Amritsar last night. This is fake video.
Fact: This is video of wildfire in Texas in 2024.
Share this fact widely. Don’t fall for Pakistan’s propaganda.… pic.twitter.com/6nSCfYdBNo
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) May 8, 2025
Civilian Casualties: Claims of mass civilian deaths due to Indian strikes were propagated without credible evidence, aiming to garner international sympathy and portray India as the aggressor.
Pakistan’s disinformation campaigns heavily rely on social media platforms to amplify their narratives. Automated accounts have been flooding platforms with pro-Pakistan and anti-India content. Prominent figures and pseudo-journalists also play an important role in this narrative, lending credibility to their claims. They are also known to trend certain hashtags to spread propaganda.
What is India doing to stop this psychological warfare?
There are various platforms, news channels and journalists who are actively working towards debunking fake news. Special mention goes to:
Press Information Bureau: Regularly issues fact-checks to debunk fake news and clarify the official stance.
In the coming days your social media will be flooded with #Pakistan sponsored propaganda.
It’s crucial to scrutinize every piece of information carefully.
If you encounter dubious content, especially concerning the Indian Armed Forces or any info related to ongoing situation,… pic.twitter.com/0Z2izsLzOl
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 8, 2025
Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the Indian fact-checking website Alt News:Â As social media platforms were flooding with misleading claims, from old videos falsely attributed to the operation to fabricated reports of downed Indian jets, Zubair swiftly intervened to verify facts and debunk false narratives. He meticulously traced the origins of viral content, exposing doctored images and recycled footage, thereby preventing the spread of disinformation.
Operation Sindoor: Hours after India hit nine terrorists bases in Pakistan and PoK on May 7, Pakistani media ran old images of crashed IAF aircraft claiming Pakistan had shot down Indian jets | @AbhishekSayhttps://t.co/6pDJ8ivHxC
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 8, 2025
As the battle rages on the ground, an equally important fight continues online, one where facts, not falsehoods, must prevail.