Operation Sindoor: CDS Gen Chauhan says 15% of Army’s time spent countering misinformation

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, has revealed that approximately 15% of armed forces’ time during Operation Sindoor went into countering fake news and misleading narratives, and added that the way wars are fought has changed and modern warfare depends on technology, cyber operations, and the ability to control information.

“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 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, reported ANI.

The CDS further stressed that India’s strategy for managing narratives should prioritise 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 amid Operation Sindoor, India’s 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 is 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 watching this not to be misled by the lies being peddled by Pakistan,” he had said.

Operation Sindoor began with airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, but the operation was much more than just physical combat, the CDS said.

It was “multi-domain” and, besides traditional military action, included cyber capabilities, intelligence, disinformation management, and the coordination of multiple forces across land, air, sea, and cyber.

“Modern warfare is undergoing a complex convergence of tactical, operational, and strategic layers; old and new domains; and even of time and space,” news agency ANI quoted Anil Chauhan as saying.

‘Integrated tech and real-time networking vital elements of warfare now’

The CDS further stressed the need for integrated technology in warfare. “What matters most in modern warfare is the networking of systems and real-time integration across air, land, sea and cyber domains. If you have great tech but it’s not connected, you can’t fully leverage it.”

Chauhan also said that India is preparing for future warfare by embracing technology, joint operations, and better narrative control, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor.

“We’re no longer fighting linear wars; we’re operating across distributed networks, applying force in non-linear ways, where deception is becoming more important than surprise,” he said.

“We’ll need separate organisations for drones, EW, UTAPs (Unmanned Teaming Aerial Platforms), etc.,” he said.

General Chauhan also highlighted the importance of reform in military structure and training and said India is moving towards more integrated and agile forces.