NEW DELHI: Noting the high influx of fake news during Operation Sindoor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said that 15% of armed forces’ time went into countering those narratives, ANI reported on Saturday. “Combating fake news was a constant effort. Our communication strategy was deliberate; we chose to be measured, not reactive, because misinformation can quickly distort public perception during high-stakes operations,” General Chauhan said speaking on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.According to CDS, India’s strategy for managing narratives should prioritize verified facts and credible evidence, even if it results in a more measured or delayed public response.“India has always built its narratives on solid ground, even if we’ve sometimes been slow to present them. For instance, in the first three days, two women officers were our primary spokespeople because the actual military leadership were directly engaged in fast-moving operations. It was only after the 10th that the DGMOs came forward to brief the media,” he said.“As someone directly involved in these operations, I can say that cyber did play a role in the conflict, but its impact was limited. While both sides did experience attacks, including some denial-of-service efforts, our military systems are air-gapped, meaning they’re not connected to the internet and are therefore largely secure. Attacks on public-facing platforms like school websites may have occurred, but they did not affect operational systems,” he added.During a press briefing during the operation, foreign secretary Vikram Misri had criticised Pakistan for spreading disinformation. “The claims that they have made about attacking various military installations are completely false. The claim about the air station in Sirsa being destroyed completely false. The claim about the air station in Surat—completely false…. These are lies about critical infrastructure, power systems and cyberstructures. I urge all who watch this not to be misled by the tissue of lies being peddled by Pakistan,” he had said.
