The Second Flush: Brewing India's Strategic Narrative for Information Dominance in Crisis Situations

Pakistan’s fabrications after the Pahalgam terror attack are echoes in an empty chamber, designed to distract from the truth of their complicity and deflect from India’s resolute response

“Pakistan’s fabrications after the Pahalgam terror attack are not new—they’re echoes in an empty chamber, designed to distract from the truth of their complicity and deflect from India’s resolute response.”

In the misty hills of Darjeeling, tea planters know a secret that extends far beyond their emerald estates. The first pluck, while delicate and prized, is often outshone by the ”second flush”, a richer, bolder harvest that defines a garden's true legacy and commands the highest prices in international markets. Much like tea, India's narrative warfare during Operation Sindoor was a "first pluck"—reactive, fragmented, and overpowered by bitter aftertastes that lingered long after India’s tactical. and strategic military victory. But the “second flush” awaits, offering India a chance to blend its vast institutional resources, cultural depth, and diplomatic finesse into a brew strong enough to dominate the global narrative landscape.

The art of brewing India's narrative dominance requires understanding that every world-class tea estate contributes distinct flavours to create an exceptional blend. India's institutions are its untapped gardens, each capable of cultivating robust narratives that can step into the world's consciousness with unprecedented effectiveness.

The Master Tea Makers: Transforming India's Diplomatic Arsenal

“Pakistan wages war with a flag in one hand and a proxy in the other.”

The second flush will now launch a revolutionary approach to diplomatic communication. India must establish 24/7 Global Briefing Rooms that mirror the sophistication and responsiveness of the White House Press Office, deploying real-time fact-checking hubs in critical capitals like Washington, Brussels, and Dubai. These facilities would serve as command centres for countering disinformation at its point of germination, before false narratives can take root in global consciousness.

The Ministry of External Affairs must undergo a strategic transformation—from being merely a distributor of information to actively curating and projecting India’s narrative on the global stage. In the crucial 16-day window preceding Operation Sindoor, an alarming 75% of Indian embassies in G20 nations remained conspicuously silent, even as Pakistan’s well-coordinated narrative apparatus saturated international media spaces with distorted messaging. This communication void allowed adversarial narratives to dominate global discourse, casting aspersions on India’s legitimate counterterrorism operations. Recognising this gap, India has since deployed high-level parliamentary delegations across key global capitals to present the country’s perspective directly to lawmakers, opinion leaders, and policy think tanks—ensuring that India’s voice is not just heard but understood and respected.

Rather than reacting to events, India's diplomatic missions need to become proactive narrative architects. This means distributing pre-packaged media kits containing satellite imagery, survivor testimonies, and detailed terrorist financial trails to over 500 global media outlets before operations even begin. The strategy will transform India's embassies from reactive damage-control centres into forward-deployed narrative battleships that shape international perception rather than merely responding to it.

The diaspora dimension represents perhaps India's greatest untapped strategic asset. With 30 million overseas Indians positioned across key global markets, India possesses a distributed network that no adversary can match. By equipping this diaspora with sophisticated talking points delivered through encrypted apps, India can transform community WhatsApp groups into highly effective "truth squads" that counter disinformation at the grassroots level, where it often spreads fastest.

Cultural Aromatics: The ICCR's Transformation

“Terrorism in South Asia doesn’t wear a mask—it wears a Pakistani uniform.”

Culture serves as the aroma that lingers long after political conversations end, shaping subconscious perceptions that influence policy decisions for years. While Pakistan weaponised Kashmir's grief and positioned itself as a victim, India's 3,000-year ancient civilisation failed to communicate the nation's contemporary relevance and moral authority.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations must launch what could be termed "Civilisation Counterterrorism"—a comprehensive strategy that partners with global streaming platforms like Netflix to produce powerful docuseries such as "Pakistan - the home of Terror– From Pahalgam to the Parliament". These productions would expose Pakistan's terror infrastructure while simultaneously showcasing India's diverse spiritual traditions, from Sufi shrines that welcome all faiths to Sikh ‘langars’ that feed millions regardless of background. The contrast would be stark and compelling: Pakistan's sectarian violence versus India's pluralistic harmony.

The concept of reviving India’s “Golden Route” diplomacy through cultural ambassadors represents another powerful tool. By sending classical dancers and folk artists to perform in European Parliament buildings and international forums, India can create visceral experiences that juxtapose its vibrant pluralism against Pakistan's demonstrated intolerance. Even China employs such cultural diplomacy during border negotiations, understanding that emotional connections often prove more persuasive than technical arguments.

The Quality Control Centre: Strategic Communication Authority

“Pakistan’s playbook is simple: lie globally, bleed locally, and blame India.”

India requires a new institutional body that blends the academic rigour of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication's Strategic Communications programme with ISRO's technological prowess. This proposed Strategic Communications Authority would serve as the quality control centre for India's global narrative, ensuring consistency and potency across all messaging channels.

The authority's most innovative capability would be creating "deep fake SWAT teams" that deploy artificial intelligence to flood digital platforms with hyper-realistic videos of captured terrorists confessing their Pakistani ISI connections within sixty minutes of any attack. This proactive approach would deny adversaries the time needed to construct alternative narratives around terrorist incidents.

During Operation Sindoor, the Indian media’s handling of the crisis exposed significant gaps in responsible reportage and strategic communication. As the operation unfolded, the absence of timely, authoritative briefings from Indian officials created an information vacuum, quickly filled by technically uninformed and strategically misleading commentary and blatant jingoism. This allowed international and even domestic outlets to amplify unverified claims, often favouring adversarial narratives and distorting the true objectives and achievements of the operation. To improve media response in such crises, a multi-pronged approach is necessary—one that upholds press freedom while ensuring credibility and accurate strategic messaging.

First, embedding experienced military veterans or subject-matter experts with media teams can provide critical context and real-time clarification. Such veterans, intimately familiar with operational realities, can help journalists interpret events accurately, explain the rationale behind military actions, and dispel technical misconceptions before they reach the public. The embedded journalism model, as seen in other countries, has fostered trust between the military and media, improved accuracy, and countered enemy propaganda without compromising operational security. Indian media could benefit from a similar approach, with clear guidelines to maintain editorial independence and avoid bias.

Second, media organisations must prioritise speed and accuracy, issuing verified updates as events unfold, rather than rushing to air unconfirmed reports. Fact-checking, responsible language, and avoidance of sensationalism are essential to prevent panic and misinformation. Collaboration between military public affairs officers and newsrooms can facilitate timely, transparent communication, ensuring that the strategic narrative reflects ground realities without crossing into state control or censorship.

Finally, restoring public trust in media requires a renewed commitment to professional ethics, impartiality, and rigorous verification. By integrating veterans into reporting teams, maintaining open channels with credible sources, and focusing on factual, context-rich storytelling, Indian media can fulfil its vital role—informing the public, supporting national interests, and upholding democratic accountability during crises like Operation Sindoor.

Rather than relying solely on earned media coverage, India must also purchase strategic airtime on influential networks. Buying prime advertising slots on Al Jazeera and CNN to broadcast raw, unedited footage of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and Pahalgam victims would create powerful emotional effects with a simple tagline: "Pakistan's Terror Export to the World". Such direct messaging bypasses editorial filters that often dilute India's narrative strength.

Targeted Heat Application: Regional Strategy Calibration

“The truth about Pakistan’s terror networks is not hidden—it’s just repeatedly denied.”

Creating the perfect narrative brew requires adjusting heat intensity for different regional palates, recognising that Western capitals, Arab nations, and global media consumers respond to different persuasive approaches.

To shape global perceptions effectively, India must proactively seed nuanced and data-driven discourse in premier Western intellectual centres—from Harvard and Oxford to Heidelberg and Stanford. Central to this effort is reframing Pakistan not merely as a troubled neighbour but as the principal engine of transnational terrorism—a terror factory whose exports have global consequences. India should commission and fund comprehensive studies through reputable institutions like the RAND Corporation, Carnegie Endowment, or CSIS that quantify Pakistan’s terror exports in terms of economic, human, and geopolitical costs. These studies must be academically rigorous, policy-oriented, and accessible to Western lawmakers, think tanks, and media.

Simultaneously, India must embed retired Indian Army generals, senior diplomats, and national security experts as fellows and visiting scholars in globally influential think tanks such as the Atlantic Council, Brookings Institution, RUSI, and others. These individuals, continuously fed with verified intelligence and strategic analysis from Indian think tanks like IDSA, ORF, and the Manohar Parrikar IDSA, can author white papers, participate in panels, and shape discourse by framing Indian counterterror operations not as regional escalations but as proportionate, NATO-style precision responses to transnational threats.

This approach must be supported by:

· Dedicated funding for global academic collaborations that explore India’s counterterror doctrine, hybrid warfare challenges, and Pakistan’s use of terror as state policy.

· A Strategic Communication Wing within the Ministry of External Affairs, tasked with narrative monitoring, rapid response, and coordination with embassies, diaspora influencers, and international media.

· Training diplomats and emissaries in information warfare and narrative construction so they can hold their ground in hostile media and academic environments.

· Engagement with international media editors, journalists, and content platforms to facilitate op-eds, interviews, and policy briefings authored by Indian thought leaders.

· Partnerships with diaspora-led academic centres to establish India-focused policy chairs and seminars that anchor our worldview within global policy discussions.

Together, these measures will transform India from a passive respondent to a confident architect of its own strategic narrative—countering misinformation, framing its security actions with legitimacy, and reshaping the global understanding of South Asia’s real fault lines.

The Arab world presents a uniquely valuable strategic opportunity for India. Leveraging the UAE’s $3 billion investment in Jammu and Kashmir, India can shape positive perceptions by encouraging influential op-eds in leading regional publications like Arab News, with titles such as “India’s Enduring Islamic Heritage versus Pakistan’s Weaponisation of Faith”. These narratives can highlight India’s historical syncretism, its vibrant Muslim population, and its long-standing tradition of religious coexistence—offering a stark contrast to Pakistan’s takfiri ideology and institutionalised sectarianism.

In parallel, India could consider engaging respected Islamic institutions such as Cairo’s Al-Azhar University to issue scholarly critiques or religious opinions on Pakistan’s misuse of blasphemy laws, which have often led to human rights abuses and minority persecution. Such positions—especially when paired with reminders of India’s generous Hajj subsidies and preservation of Islamic cultural sites—can lend powerful religious legitimacy to India’s stance, particularly in the eyes of the Arab public and policy elite.

This multifaceted approach blends economic diplomacy, religious outreach, and media strategy to solidify India’s position as a pluralistic and responsible power in contrast to Pakistan’s extremist narrative.

Media transformation requires the most sustained effort. India must train hundreds of Indian journalists in London and New York bureau operations, positioning them to eventually become editors who ensure that terms like "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" replace "Azad Kashmir" in international coverage. High-profile platforms like TED Talks offer opportunities for figures like our legendary National Security Adviser Ajit Doval or so many of our younger warriors from the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles who are presently engaged in a daily hunt for terrorists to deliver viral presentations with provocative titles such as "Why I Hunt Terrorists, Not Tigers", humanising India's security imperatives for global audiences.

Steeping Time: From Delayed Response to Instant Engagement

Pakistan's devastating fake news 16-day onslaught in framing Operation Sindoor narratives must become India's 16-minute response window in future conflicts. This transformation requires pre-scripted sovereignty messaging, with draft speeches for the United Nations General Assembly and TikTok video content prepared for all 193 Indian ambassadors before conflicts even erupt.

Embassy infrastructure must be revolutionised with green screen capabilities that allow missions to beam Kashmiri Pandit survivors directly into European Parliament hearings in real time, creating immediate emotional connections that transcend political abstractions. Such technological capabilities transform diplomatic missions from traditional communication channels into dynamic media production centres capable of rapid narrative deployment.

The Bold Finish: From Apology to Authority

India's second flush must leave a bold aftertaste that transforms the nation's global image from defensive reactor to proactive moral leader. This requires publishing comprehensive "Terrorist Watchlists" naming 500 Pakistani officials with INTERPOL reward offers funded through cryptocurrency mechanisms that bypass traditional diplomatic constraints.

The strategy extends to positioning India as a firewall between competing Middle Eastern tensions, leading Global South coalitions against dual-use drone proliferation while establishing India as the stabilising force between Sunni terrorism networks and Shia oil interests. Such positioning elevates India from regional player to global security guarantor.

Military Reorganisation: The Brewing Infrastructure

India's armed forces' strategic information outreach must undergo comprehensive reorganisation to support this narrative dominance strategy while maintaining democratic principles that distinguish Indian operations from authoritarian propaganda systems. The current fragmentation across agencies like ADGSC and DGMO's Information Warfare cell creates dangerous delays that adversaries consistently exploit.

A new Tri-Service Strategic Communication Command must be created under the Chief of Defence Staff that would unify messaging across Army, Navy, and Air Force operations. The structure would operate through three integrated tiers: a National Information Warfare Council led by the CDS with MEA and NSA representation for policy development, Theatre Information Groups under regional commands focusing on specific adversaries like Pakistan and China, and Grassroots Digital Units in each brigade providing real-time social media monitoring and response capabilities.

Integration of civilian expertise into military communication structures represents a critical innovation. Expanding the Additional Directorate General of Strategic Communication with a hybrid military-civilian hub would enable recruitment of journalists, data analysts, and linguists on short-term contracts. This approach allows for "prebunking" strategies that leak verified intelligence about terror camp coordinates to media before strikes occur, controlling narratives from inception rather than playing defensive catch-up.

To seize and sustain information dominance before, during, and after a crisis or terror attack, the Indian Armed Forces must adopt a proactive, coordinated, and strategic approach to information operations. Before a crisis, the Army should establish dedicated media and perception management cells integrated with national and regional media networks. Embedding uniformed spokespersons trained in strategic communication within leading newsrooms or as part of crisis coverage, teams can help shape narratives from the outset. During a crisis or retaliation, the Army must act as the primary source of verified information, offering timely updates, visuals, and context to pre-empt misinformation and foreign narrative manipulation. Seamless coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting ensures unified messaging that aligns military action with national intent. After the event, the armed forces should control the post-conflict narrative by highlighting operational success, minimising enemy claims, and framing the moral and strategic legitimacy of Indian actions. Strategic briefings, veteran analysts, and documentaries showcasing the professionalism and restraint of the Indian military can further reinforce India’s credibility. Embedding the armed forces within the national media structure—not as propaganda but as trusted informants—will help India lead the information space in times of conflict.

During the 2025 Sindoor operations, Pakistan's ISPR flooded platforms within minutes while India's ADGSC required 14 hours to respond effectively. A properly structured hybrid team could reduce this response time to 30 minutes, fundamentally altering the information warfare battlefield dynamics.

Technological Empowerment and Legal Authority

Leveraging India's updated legal authorities under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act enables rapid takedown orders for fake videos like recycled MiG-21 crash footage and terrorist glorification accounts. Simultaneously, deploying large language models to track over 50,000 social media handles linked to adversarial agencies while auto-generating rebuttals in Urdu, Mandarin, and Arabic creates defensive capabilities that match adversarial scale.

Pakistan's ISPR currently employs over 12,000 bot accounts for information warfare operations. India's proposed "AI Fact-Check SWAT Teams" should be capable of neutralising such networks within hours rather than allowing days for organic counter-messaging to develop organically.

Theatre-Specific Operations and Institutional Restructuring

Regional narrative strategies must be tailored to specific adversaries and audiences. Against Pakistan, the focus remains "terrorist sponsor state" messaging supported by leaked FATF reports and ISI payment trail documentation. For China, "LAC Aggressor" narratives utilise satellite images of PLA encroachments, while global messaging emphasises "India: Reliable Security Partner" through highlighted joint military exercises with US and European forces.

Reorganising Army Headquarters to merge ADGSC and DGMO's Information Warfare wing into a unified Directorate-General of Information Dominance addresses past organisational weaknesses. In 2025, ADGSC's 40-member team was dramatically outgunned by ISPR's 500+ staff strength. The new DGID would require at least 300 personnel, including specialised linguists for Urdu, Hindi, and Mandarin communications.

The institutional restructuring must include proactive narrative seeding through digital archives of pre-recorded survivor testimonies and terrorist confessions, media partnerships that train embedded journalists for conflict zone reporting similar to Israeli practices, and even gaming outreach through mobile games like "Call of Duty: Lashkar Hunt" that subtly reinforce counter-terrorism narratives among younger global audiences.

Measuring Success and Future Vision

Success metrics for India's second flush strategy include reducing response time to fake news from the current 14 hours to 15 minutes, achieving over 10 million daily engagements on platforms like X and TikTok through regional influencers, and increasing pro-India resolutions in EU and UN forums by 40% within two years.

The Perfect Cup: India's Narrative Dominance

“Terrorism in South Asia doesn’t wear a mask—it wears a Pakistani army uniform.”

The second flush represents more than tactical communication improvements—it embodies India's transformation from reactive participant to proactive architect of global narratives. By blending cultural richness with institutional might and surgical diplomatic precision, India can brew a narrative so compelling that even Western sceptics find themselves naturally drawn to India's perspective on regional and global security challenges.

The tea leaves reveal a clear truth: whoever controls the narrative pot ultimately controls the global policy table. Through comprehensive institutional reorganisation, technological innovation, and strategic cultural diplomacy, India can serve a blend of truth and moral authority that becomes the preferred choice for international consumers of geopolitical narratives. The second flush isn't about outshouting Pakistan's propaganda machine—it's about making the world genuinely thirst for India's authentic story of democratic resilience, cultural pluralism, and justified security responses to terrorist threats.

This transformation requires sustained commitment, significant resource investment, and coordination across multiple government agencies and civilian institutions. However, the strategic payoff extends far beyond any single conflict, establishing India as the definitive narrative authority on South Asian security issues and positioning the nation as an indispensable partner for global counterterrorism efforts. The brewing process has begun, and India's second flush promises to redefine how the world perceives both regional conflicts and India's role as a responsible global power.

Lt Gen Shokin Chauhan, PVSM,AVSM,YSM,SM,VSM