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As the Indo-Pakistani conflict continues to develop on the contact line in the contested Jammu and Kashmir region, the two sides also appear to be engaged in a propaganda war.
Evaluating the situation in English-language mainstream media, it can be found that the Indian side is employing active military informational operations in order to promote own agenda in the conflict. One of the obvious examples of this is the claim that India shot down a Pakistani warplane during the February 27 encounter. Inside India, multiple media outlets, which are more or less affilated with the governmetn, are openly fueling a war hysteria.
However, at the same time, a notable part of the Indian society is sceptical regarding the government stance and obviously seeks a de-escalation of the conflcit. This can be obs observed in the social media.
Dear Pakistan… Return Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to us. Take our news anchors instead. All of them. Keep them. Do whatever you want to do with them. And please don't send them back to us. EVER.
Please. Pretty please?
— Vaibhav Vishal (@ofnosurnamefame) February 27, 2019
Our stupid news anchors can wear all the ill-fitting army fatigues and puke garbage standing next to graphics straight out of '80s soft porn horror films, but the fact remains that strategically, diplomatically and optically, Pakistan has collected all the brownies in this round.
— Vaibhav Vishal (@ofnosurnamefame) February 28, 2019
#WingCommanderAbhinandan will be back home tomorrow. That is great news. Let us acknowledge the fine gesture of his quick release by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khän. And to the suited-booted overpaid intellectually emasculated dim-witted war -mongering TV anchors, get a life.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) February 28, 2019
The idiocy of our commando tv news media will reach a point where we will force the two countries to war. Won’t even wait for the brave Wing Commander to come back before embarking on another bout of hysteria. Utterly embarrassing.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 28, 2019
It’s interesting to note that a similar situation can be observed on the Pakistani side. Islamabad is also conducting special media operations and using fakes; for example the claim about the second downed Indian jet and second pilot, who has never been captured. However, Pakistan is less successful in its efforts on the international scene. Therefore, by February 28, it had re-shaped its approach and started using more factual-based coverage of the conflict and debunking Indian propaganda.
A part of the Pakistani society also appears to be not interested in the war.
Pakistanis protested today outside the Lahore Press Club for the safe release of #AbhinandanVartaman. #Peace #SayNoToWar https://t.co/1EQLawammF pic.twitter.com/DstBd4w0Tw
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) February 28, 2019
Despite the aforementioned sceptical views in both Indian and Pakistani societies, Indian and Pakistani populists are attempting to use the recent escalation to gain more influence. This approach is fueling the already high tensions.
