By Dhananjay Tripathi The dust has barely settled on Operation Sindoor, and yet, the real battle appears to be unfolding in headlines, hashtags and half-truths. India’s deep-penetration strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan between May 7 and 10, culminating in the destruction of Lahore’s air defence system, marked a significant military operation and an even more profound moment of strategic recalibration. But in today’s hyper-mediated world, battlefield victories can be diluted, distorted or drowned out by a louder war — the war of narratives. An Escalation, then a Ceasefire—But Not an End Launched in the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists, Operation Sindoor was aimed squarely at the roots of terror targeting infrastructure and leadership hubs of groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India’s strikes reached deep into Pakistani territory, successfully hitting high-value locations such as the Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur and Markaz Taiba in Muridke. Yet, international media coverage of these strategic victories remained curiously muted. A ceasefire was declared on May 10. However, India clarified that while conventional operations had halted, its anti-terror missions under the banner of Operation Sindoor would persist. China-Turkey-Pakistan Nexus One of the more disquieting aspects of the conflict was Pakistan’s deployment of Chinese-made fighter jets and missile systems alongside Turkish drones, reportedly operated with direct assistance from Turkish technicians. These weapons were used not just in counter-strikes on military sites but, disturbingly, in attacks that targeted Indian civilian areas. New Delhi has taken a strong diplomatic stance against Turkey’s involvement, and rightly so. While geopolitical alliances are not new in South Asia, the direct use of third-party assets in civilian-targeted operations is an alarming escalation that warrants greater international scrutiny. India cannot afford to overlook this and needs to be quite vigilant, not only in the case of Pakistan but also in the shifting geopolitics of the region. Let us not forget that China is investing strategically in South Asia, and after the recent India-Pakistan standoff, it should be of more importance for India. ‘CNN Effect’ and Pakistani IT War Room What was witnessed in Pakistan reminds us of George Orwell’s novel 1984, where the state distorts almost every single fact in order to control the general narrative. Within hours of India’s strikes, Pakistan launched an aggressive misinformation campaign, amplified through social media and supported by state-backed influencers and fabricated Indian accounts. False claims about the destruction of several Indian fighter jets and the obliteration of the Jammu air base dominated Pakistani media, aided by sensationalist headlines in some international outlets. While Pakistan’s disinformation offensive was unparalleled in both scale and strategy, premeditated and centrally coordinated by Pakistani army’s IT cell, the global media seemed more interested in pushing a China Rising storyline This was, in many ways, India’s first fully televised “limited military offensive” in the age of digital media — a “CNN Effect” moment where news coverage shapes perception faster than facts can verify. Unfortunately, the TRP competition of some Indian news channels did little to enhance clarity. But even so, Pakistan’s disinformation offensive was unparalleled in both scale and strategy, almost certainly premeditated and centrally coordinated by the Pakistani army’s IT cell. The narrative coming out of Islamabad emphasised the supposed superiority of Chinese weapons, a claim echoed by some Western outlets without substantial evidence. Absent from most reports were glaring facts — the failure of Pakistan’s HQ-series air defence systems, the targeting of civilian locations in India, and the open military patronage of Pakistan to known terrorist figures. The Unaddressed Truths What Operation Sindoor revealed beyond India’s improved strike capability was the failure of Pakistan’s much-touted Chinese-backed defence systems. Despite claims of technological superiority, these systems could not protect Lahore, Bahawalpur or Muridke from Indian missiles and drones. India’s own successful use of indigenous systems like the Akash missile and the Indo-Russian BrahMos cruise missile was largely ignored in the international discourse. Even more puzzling was the silence over the successful interception and destruction of Turkish drones and Chinese PL-15 missiles by Indian forces, facts confirmed by Indian defence sources but underreported by global media, which seemed more interested in pushing a “China Rising” storyline than engaging in critical analysis. This kind of purposeful omission in some media is largely linked to the intense competition in the international arms industry. China has used the fake Pakistani narrative to push its arms industry and also to propagate domestically that it is superior to several other countries in the world. Let us not forget the intense competition between China and the West, even closer to its border — Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific. China’s political regimes, too, need many stories, and Pakistan has supplied those to them. This will further cement the China-Pak relations, and this angle, too, is absolutely overlooked by the international media. A Moment of Reckoning It is not difficult to determine who truly pressed the ceasefire button. Pakistan, despite its chest-thumping and foreign-supplied arsenal, was militarily cornered. The nuclear bluff didn’t work. And the information war, though loud, was increasingly hollow. Pakistan’s military must now engage in an honest reckoning. Support for terrorism has become a self-inflicted wound, deepened by over-reliance on external powers and an addiction to false narratives. The people of Pakistan deserve peace and prosperity, not the endless consequences of a military establishment that prioritises proxy warfare over national welfare. India, for its part, must remain vigilant not only on the battlefield but also in the battle of perception. The success of Operation Sindoor lies not just in the targets neutralised, but also in the resolve demonstrated. But unless the truth is told clearly and consistently, even victory can be obscured. This underscores the need for constant vigilance in managing perceptions, ensuring the truth prevails over misinformation. (The author is Senior Associate Professor, Faculty of International Relations, South Asian University)