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In the digital age, wars are no longer fought solely on rugged terrain or shadowed in the fog of diplomacy. They are now waged in timelines, comment sections, and trending hashtags.
Kashmir Narrative Over the Years
On 5 August 2019, the government of India revoked the special status, or autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. The campaign’s legal backbone rests on Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, in the wake of the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status.
Between 2024 and 2025, India launched a sweeping, multi-pronged digital campaign to reshape the Kashmir conflict in its favor. Combining legal tools, cinematic storytelling, and coordinated social media messaging, the strategy aims to control the global narrative around Kashmir.
After the 2025 Pakistan-India stand-off, Indian authorities blocked over 1,400 web links and issued more than 60 emergency takedown orders across platforms like YouTube, X, and Facebook. They banned 16 Pakistan based YouTube channels with a combined 63 million subscribers for allegedly spreading anti India content. Simultaneously, they geo blocked 2,355 X accounts, some belonging to international news agencies, within India.
A 24/7 digital war room, led by the Press Information Bureau, defense communication units, and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, coordinated these efforts.
“Operation Sindoor” used rapid-response posts, satellite imagery, and official videos to dominate news cycles and sideline independent reporting.
According to Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) Report on India-Pakistan:
Indian mainstream media outlets played a significant role in amplifying false claims, with major channels broadcasting unverified information as “breaking news,” lending credibility to fabricated stories.
Traditional media aside, following are some other digital media outlets India has utilized to overpower the Kashmir narrative over the years, and especially after May 2025.
Bollywood as a Battlefield
Bollywood has long played a crucial role in shaping public opinion, especially related to Kashmir and Pakistan. We see it shining brightly in the form of movies such as Article 370, which dramatized the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status and grossed over ₹110 crore.
It was followed by Borderline and Valley of Secrets, which portrayed Indian forces as peacekeepers. Music videos like Ode to the Mountains further embed nationalistic imagery into popular culture.
Hashtags, Influencers, and Digital Soldiers
India’s digital campaign extends into influencer culture. Hashtags such as #AllEyesOnPahalgam and #DigitalBorder are propagated by military-linked accounts and AI-generated content.
Celebrities like Jr. NTR and Ram Charan have posted supportive messages from military zones, blurring the lines between personal influence and state messaging. YouTubers like “Captain Tech” simplify the security narrative for young viewers.
Multilingual Messaging, Global Reach
India’s messaging operates in at least eleven languages, targeting domestic and international audiences. Embassies engage diaspora communities through tailored content, while closed-door briefings and webinars reach policymakers abroad.
Can Pakistan Respond to Kashmir Narrative Warfare?
Pakistan faces challenges in countering Indian narrative warfare campaign. Its sporadic messaging and limited digital infrastructure cannot match India’s coordinated storytelling. However, experts suggest investing in high-quality content and diaspora engagement to challenge the prevailing narrative could be key to get a broader grip. Although Pakistan scrambled to reciprocate some of the tactics India applied, they were more reactionary.
Islamabad launched a coordinated diplomacy campaign that seeps deep across social media and traditional outlets, suggesting the Pahalgam attack was an Indian false flag operation. At the same time, Pakistan’s military-affiliated media arm, ISPR, has issued video narratives and press briefings highlighting civilian damage and rejecting Indian claims.
Kashmir is no longer just a geographic conflict. It is a battle for global perception, where control of the narrative may prove more decisive than control of territory. India’s integrated media strategy sets a formidable precedent; the onus now lies on Pakistan to catch up in this evolving digital theatre.
Analysts also warn that following the footsteps of India might also weaponize misinformation as we saw happening during the May conflict of the two nuclear armed neighbors.
