After the success of Operation Sindoor, Pakistan is engaged in psychological warfare by disseminating misinformation across social media platforms so as to misrepresent India’s military actions and readiness. And, the PIB fact-check unit rechecked broadly circulated fake videos and claims, allegedly coming from Pakistani social media accounts.
All about Psychological Warfare
(a) Psychological warfare involves the planned use of propaganda and other psychological operations to emphasise the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behaviour accordingly.
(b) Propaganda: Disseminating coloured or misleading information to influence public opinion or instil confusion. Mostly used to glorify one side and demonise the other(adversary).
(c) Fear and Intimidation: Threats, representation of overwhelming force, or rumours to instil fear and destabilise their morale.
(d) Misinformation and Deception: Providing fake information to mislead the adversary about intentions, strength, or location.
(e) Disruption of Decision-Making: Psychological operations (PSYOPs) that confuse leadership or disrupt the chain of command.
Tactics and Tools
(i) Leaflets and Broadcasts: Used to disseminate propaganda in the enemy’s region.
(ii) Cyber PSYOPs: Social media manipulation, false news, or hacking to cause panic or division.
(iii) Rumours and Whispers: Undermining trust through subtle, hard-to-trace disinformation.
(iv) False Flag Operations: Conducting actions meant to appear as though they were carried out by another group.
Historical Examples
(a) World War II: The Allies dropped leaflets over Germany to lower troop morale.
(b) Cold War: The U.S. and USSR used extensive propaganda campaigns to influence global perception.
Against India
China’s Tactics
(a) San Zhong Zhanfa: A three-pronged strategy combining media warfare (e.g., fake news via Global Times), psychological operations (e.g., COVID-19 vaccine disinformation), and legal warfare (e.g., false territorial claims).
(b) Border Conflicts: During the 2017 Doklam standoff, China used social media to label Indian leaders as “liars” and spread threats like “free Sikkim”.
(c) Social Media Manipulation: Twitter removed 23,750 pro-CCP accounts in 2020 for spreading anti-India narratives.
Pakistan’s Campaigns
(a) Balakot Airstrike Misinformation: Pakistan’s ISPR denied Indian successes, propagated memes mocking captured pilot Abhinandan, and leveraged US media to dispute F-16 losses.
(b) Kashmir Narratives: Fabricated claims of Indian Army atrocities, amplified by Pakistani government websites and foreign media.
(c) Communal Polarisation: Accused India of “Hindutva fascism” during events like the Delhi riots, using hashtags like #Hinduterrorism.
Hybrid Warfare: The Changing Face of Conflict
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Solutions and Countermeasures
A. Policy and Governance
(i) Legal Frameworks: Enact laws like the Personal Data Protection Act (2023) to safeguard data sovereignty.
(ii) International Cooperation: Collaborate with the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) so as to counter WMD-linked psyops.
B. Technological Measures
(i) AI-Driven Fact-Checking: Deploy tools like PIB’s fact-checking units to debunk fake news.
(ii) Cyber Resilience: Strengthen defences against info-warfare (e.g., China’s social media bots).
C. Societal Resilience
(i) Media Literacy Programs: Educate citizens to identify propaganda (e.g., Satyamev Jayate initiatives).
(ii) Community Engagement: Foster interfaith dialogues to counter radical narratives.
D. Military and Defence
(i) Information Warfare Units: Establish dedicated PsyOps divisions (e.g., India’s DG Information Warfare) (ii) Counter-Narratives: Use platforms like DD News to broadcast factual content.
Case Studies
(a) Ukraine War: Russia’s hybrid tactics (disinformation as well as cyberattacks) highlight the need for integrated defence.
(b) Kashmir Conflict: Indian Army’s “ghost sightings” tactic exploited local folklore to deter insurgents.
Conclusion
Psychological warfare is a low-cost as well as high-impact threat requiring multi-domain responses. India must prioritise technology, governance, and societal resilience to counter adversarial narratives while upholding democratic values.