A retired Indian Army general has said that the country needs to build a structured information warfare apparatus modelled on Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), admitting that the Indian media’s conduct during last year’s conflict with Pakistan was an embarrassment that cost New Delhi its credibility.
“You need to have a structured system within your headquarters for warfare… like the ISPR,” Major General (r) Rajan Kochhar said during a discussion with Pakistani journalist Haider Hayat Khan.
He emphasised that the Indian Army required a similar department as he spoke of the failures India experienced on the information front during the May 2025 conflict.
Kochhar also criticised the role of Indian media, calling their reporting a “joke” that lacked factual backing because they operate in an “information void” during high-tension periods, creating stories that are “detached from reality”.
“Every media outlet was operating in an information void, and each one was creating its own stories based on that void,” he said.
Kochhar recalled being woken up at 2:30 in the morning by the Indian Republic TV team. “I was told that Arnab wanted me online,” he said, going on to reveal how he appeared on multiple channels for the next 10 days but found that 90 per cent of outlets were airing unverified information.
He said that the lack of accurate reporting led to a loss of credibility,
The retired general also admitted that Pakistan managed its communication more effectively by understanding the mechanics of narrative warfare. He cited the principle that the party that speaks first is often perceived as the winner because they set the initial information flow.
“I did not hear a single clear and firm statement from our side saying we did not lose any aircraft. A strong statement like that should have come immediately,” Kochhar said, adding that weak counter-narratives left both global and domestic audiences unconvinced of any Indian wins.
