With the recent hightened tensions between India and Pakistan after India’s May 7, 2025, strikes on Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K), and mainland Pakistan, a new front has been opened in this long-standing rivalry – the world of information warfare.[1] Both countries are nuclear powers and have a long history of military hostilities.[2] Despite that, the psychological war to influence public perceptions and international opinion has been as important as the traditional war on the ground. However, the way India has been conducting this warfare in the information domain shows a disturbing trend. There has been a deliberate abuse of information to put a negative focus on Pakistan, distort events, and influence the world’s perceptions through state-aligned propaganda.[3]
Weaponization of information by India is not new. In the 2019 Balakot strikes, the Indian authorities asserted that their warplanes had destroyed a Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorist training camp, killing “a large number” of militants in response to the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary troops. However, satellite imagery, independent reports, and global media later proved India wrong, with minimal structural damage and no confirmed casualties.[4] Pakistan opened the alleged strike site to international journalists and observers, which turned out to be a forested area near a madrasa with no apparent destruction and loss of life.
