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In a staggering show of cyber strength, Pakistani hackers and allied cyber groups reportedly launched more than 15 lakh cyber attacks on Indian critical infrastructure following the Pahalgam incident, exposing vulnerabilities despite India’s advanced claims in digital defence.
According to Maharashtra Cyber’s report titled “Road of Sindoor”, at least seven Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups with ties to Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Middle East, and Indonesia orchestrated these attacks, targeting strategic Indian websites. While Indian officials claim only 150 attacks were successful, the sheer volume of attempted intrusions reflects the scale of the operation. The report was submitted to high-level agencies, including the Director General of Police and the State Intelligence Department.
The report suggests that this cyber offensive was part of a larger military-aligned operation, pointing to Pakistan-allied hacker groups executing a hybrid warfare strategy. It notes that Pak hackers used a combination of malware deployment, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, GPS spoofing, and website defacements to target India’s digital assets. Despite Indian denials, the narrative across social media and underground cyber forums pointed to breaches in key areas.
Cyber Attacks Persist Despite Ceasefire Agreement
Even after India and Pakistan agreed to de-escalate military tensions, Indian government websites continued to face regular digital incursions from Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Middle Eastern cyber actors. Maharashtra Cyber officials acknowledged that attacks have reduced but not stopped, citing continuous efforts by hackers from Indonesia, Morocco, and beyond.
A senior official denied reports of breaches at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the Election Commission, but the persistent nature of these cyber campaigns signals a deeper concern for India’s cybersecurity infrastructure.
The report also debunks Indian media claims of stolen aviation and municipal data, highlighting how misinformation flows both ways in cyber warfare. Interestingly, Pakistani hackers reportedly spread viral posts claiming to have infiltrated India’s banking systems and triggered power outages—messages that, while unverified, added to the pressure on Indian authorities.
India Markets Nosedive Amid Digital Chaos
Before a single missile hit its target, India’s financial markets were already bleeding. Security sources reported a staggering loss of INR 6.9 trillion (USD 83 billion) within 48 hours. Major indices plunged. Reliance dropped by 2.1%, HDFC by 2%, while banking stocks were in free fall.
This sequence of economic turbulence before physical engagement highlighted Pakistan’s capability in fifth-generation warfare, which one source described as a domain ruled not by “tanks” or “treaties”, but by “firmware, fibre, frequency and fear.”
Adding another layer to the operation, Pakistan deployed unarmed drones over New Delhi, Gujarat, and other key cities not for strikes, but for psychological warfare. These drones, combined with kamikaze killer drones and electronic warfare tools, blinded India’s satellite systems and jammed its communication networks.
India’s repeated struggles to fully defend against these attacks, regardless of their success rate, underscore the evolving landscape of digital warfare where perception often matters as much as impact.
