Observers have warned that India’s reliance on propaganda and disinformation to cover up its actions in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and beyond is increasingly being exposed, even as international rights organizations continue to flag serious abuses by New Delhi.
One glaring example surfaced during the recently concluded Operation Sindoor, when India attempted to circulate fabricated claims that Pakistan Army generals and uniformed personnel paid tribute to a so-called “terrorist” killed in the operation. Independent checks revealed these were manufactured stories amplified by paid commentators acting as mouthpieces for Indian propaganda platforms.
In contrast, Pakistan openly facilitated international media visits to mosques struck by Indian missiles, releasing the names and addresses of victims to ensure transparency. India’s campaign of falsehoods was so blatant that international monitors flagged it as a source of misinformation during the operation.
Observers stress that instead of manufacturing fake narratives, India must answer pressing questions raised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Amnesty International: Why are over 3,190 Kashmiris being held without legal charges? Why have 1,500 homes been destroyed? Why have more than 44 Kashmiris been killed in staged “encounters”?
Critics point out that India has weaponized terror as a tool of statecraft. By circulating out-of-context speeches, AI-generated videos, and fabricated images of military funerals, New Delhi seeks to disguise its aggression. In reality, the funerals widely circulated in Indian media were those of innocent civilians, including women and children, killed by Indian missile strikes—not militants.
Analysts say India’s posture as a “victim” of terrorism is contradicted by mounting evidence of it being an aggressor state. Survivors and families of Operation Sindoor victims continue to wait for justice, while India hides behind disinformation campaigns. “Propaganda may blur the truth temporarily, but it cannot erase accountability,” observers noted.
