Media hyperbole

In the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor in retaliation against the Pahalgam massacre and as a consequence of which recent cross-border tensions resulted, it was not surprising to come across India’s mainstream media indulging in an unrelenting barrage of triumphalist rhetoric, and a stunning absence of sober military analysis. A sober analysis ordinarily nudges the logical minded to avoid being drowned and dimmed with hysterics. The exchange of explosive-laden drones or firing of rockets from mobile batteries or from the jets dominated the action while on the ground, the damages on buildings and roads indicated what the exchange turned out to be. However, the real action that happened on the skies within each country’s space was barely mentioned. In particular, the performances of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters – the much vaunted Rafales and Sukhois – against Pakistan’s Chinese-made JF-17s and air-to-air missile systems, had raised much interest given the claims of “sheer invincibility” by the Indian media. The Pakistani Air Force (PAF), using Chinese JF-17s and American F-16s (in some instances), has countered Indian missions in news during the Balakot-Pulwama fallout in 2019. India’s failure to decisively dominate or extract a clear strategic advantage in the ongoing operation , as also noted by former army chief Gen. V.P.Malik, raises uncomfortable military and political questions, which much of the mainstream Indian media either ignores or whitewashes. India’s military engagements are too serious to be reduced to TV spectacle and nationalistic sound bytes. The performance of IAF fighters against adversaries like the JF-17 needs serious reflection, not manufactured triumphalism.The media’s abdication of journalistic responsibility weakens national security in the long run, by replacing truth with curated illusions. Informed viewers were fed the familiar fare of flag-waving panels once again clearly indicating a monopolized narrative as though every military operation were done in a television studio at Delhi. The media strategy has always been focused on centralized branding – where government actions, whether economic, military, or humanitarian, are projected through this persona. This is reinforced by the highly curated daily televised appearances and ruling party’s social media dominance and a messaging that drowns the ability to discern facts from fantasy. This kind of narrative-building leads to a perception- and often a reality- where complex, collaborative efforts are attributed to a personality cult, sidelining the institutional framework. A responsible press does not exaggerate victories, nor does it erase operational complexities. It informs and is not afraid to ask hard questions. It treats the military as a professional institution, not a prop for political theatre. The domination of the narrative by ruling party politicians often sidelines the collective and institutional dimensions of governance. It raises critical concerns about media independence, press ethics, and the democratic need for checks and balances. India deserves better than this echo chamber of praise and propaganda. It deserves a media that respects the intelligence of its citizens, that has the courage to call things by their name, and that remembers its constitutional duty to report the truth- especially when it is inconvenient. In war and peace, the first casualty should never be the truth.