World Media Watches, India Responds
India’s bold and precise Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), has triggered global media attention—both responsible reporting and disinformation. While several international outlets highlighted the strategic and retaliatory nature of the strikes following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Chinese state media outlet Global Times attempted to cloud the operation with misleading visuals and narratives. In response, India has firmly pushed back, emphasizing the importance of factual reporting and clarity in conveying national security actions.
Disinformation Exposed: Old Images, False Context
The controversy began when Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese state, published visuals purporting to show the aftermath of India’s cruise missile strikes under Operation Sindoor. However, these images were quickly identified as outdated photographs of unrelated Indian Air Force (IAF) crashes—a MiG-29 incident in Rajasthan (2024) and a MiG-21 crash in Punjab (2021).
Calling out this journalistic lapse, the Indian embassy in China issued a stern rebuttal on X (formerly Twitter):
“Dear Global Times, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation.”
India further warned that several pro-Pakistan social media handles were echoing these falsehoods to sow confusion and distort the facts of the operation, demonstrating a coordinated campaign of misdirection.
Clarifying Operation Sindoor: Precision and Purpose
India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that 24 precision missile strikes were launched in nine terror-linked locations including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bahawalpur, and Rawalakot—each identified through intelligence-based mapping as active hubs of terrorist activity. Crucially, the operation avoided targeting Pakistani military installations, focusing solely on terror camps operated by groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
These strikes came in response to the brutal Pahalgam attack on April 22, where 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were murdered in a religiously targeted assault. According to Indian officials, the victims were shot at point-blank range, in front of family members—an act India described as “barbaric and intentionally traumatic.”
Setting the Record Straight: India’s Diplomatic Clarity
India’s communication strategy post-Operation Sindoor has been calm, firm, and clear, aiming to combat falsehoods and reinforce truth through official channels. In addition to debunking Global Times, the Indian embassy underscored Pakistan’s consistent record of inaction on terror groups operating within its territory.
India reminded the international community that the UN-proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating under the front name The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre. India had already submitted detailed dossiers on TRF’s operations to the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee in both May and November 2024, calling for global recognition of Pakistan’s tacit support for these proxies.
Furthermore, New Delhi criticized Pakistan for allegedly pressuring the UN Security Council to delete references to TRF in its April 25 statement—a move India sees as part of Islamabad’s strategy to maintain plausible deniability while sheltering militants.
Strategic Precision, Not Escalation
India emphasized that Operation Sindoor was not an escalation but a measured act of self-defence, undertaken only after exhausting diplomatic options and observing Pakistan’s unwillingness to act against terrorist groups. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the armed forces for the execution, noting it as India’s right and responsibility to protect its civilians and territory.
Importantly, India’s intelligence agencies had credible inputs suggesting further imminent attacks, making the operation not only retaliatory but also preventive in nature.
Messaging with Integrity
In a digital world awash with half-truths and manipulated narratives, India’s strong rebuttal to Chinese state media highlights its commitment to transparency and responsible communication. By addressing misinformation swiftly and through formal diplomatic channels, India reinforces that strategic actions must be accompanied by strategic messaging.
Operation Sindoor is not just a military statement—it’s a declaration of India’s zero tolerance for terrorism, and a testament to its readiness to defend, communicate, and clarify in equal measure. As global narratives form around South Asia’s evolving security landscape, India’s insistence on truth over propaganda becomes its greatest diplomatic asset.
(With agency inputs)
