India and Pakistan’s Information War Is More Heated Than Ever
Police stand guard in a market in Srinagar, on May 10.
Photographer: Basit Zargar/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
As India and Pakistan wage their first major armed conflict since 2019, on the airwaves and internet a full-blown war has already broken out, pressing government officials, news outlets and citizens from both sides into battle.
Indian social media has been rife with claims that their military had entered Pakistan, reduced one of the country’s biggest ports to ruins and brought down its top general. Across the border, outlets assured citizens that Pakistan’s air defenses had downed Indian drones by the dozen, while top officials posted memes to boast about Pakistani military achievements. None of the reports have been confirmed.