India won the war against Pakistan but lost the narrative: Brahma Chellaney

Time of India

29-05-2025

Airstrikes hit targets, avoided escalation
India moved too slowly on global messaging
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US took credit, India delayed rebuttal
Symbolism failed to translate into diplomacy
Diplomatic outreach after the fact
Warning from the past
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India may have achieved a tactical victory during the recent four-day conflict with Pakistan, but it missed the chance to control the international narrative, said geostrategist Brahma Chellaney in an interaction with India Today. The military operation, launched in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam , dealt a heavy blow to Pakistan's air defence infrastructure without leading to a full-scale war. However, India's slow diplomatic response weakened its strategic position globally, Chellaney said.India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan. The operation was in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. According to Chellaney, the Indian Air Force conducted precise strikes on key Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan and Bholari, exposing weaknesses in Chinese-supplied defence systems.In response, Pakistan attempted to strike Indian military sites on May 8, 9, and 10. India retaliated by hitting several key Pakistani military assets such as radar sites, air defence systems, and command centres.On the evening of May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said both countries agreed to an immediate halt to all military actions across land, air, and sea.Despite military success, Chellaney criticised India for failing to shape the international conversation. "India's sluggish response time [in setting the global narrative] has cost it diplomatic capital," he said.He explained, "India won the battle but lost the narrative. Indian strikes achieved the objective of imposing costs without triggering an all-out war. But India failed to translate its short-term victory into achieving the larger goal of advancing the overall struggle against a rogue neighbour that exports terrorism."Chellaney said India took two days to counter US President Donald Trump's claim that he brokered the ceasefire. "By then, the world had come to believe that the US mediated an end to hostilities," he said. "To shape international opinion, we must act swiftly with timely statements and rebuttals to counter disinformation."He added, "In keeping with India's bureaucratic culture, India often responds too slowly, allowing others to define the narrative first."Chellaney highlighted the symbolism used in Operation Sindoor, where Indian women avenged the death of 26 soldiers. But he said it lacked follow-up in terms of global outreach. "The irony is this, India framed Operation Sindoor in powerful symbolism as Indian women avenging the murder of 26 husbands. But that powerful symbolism was not backed up by a proactive public diplomacy campaign."He said India is now trying to recover ground through diplomatic efforts but noted that much of the global perception has already formed. "What can delegations of MPs do now?" he asked.Currently, seven all-party delegations led by Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Sanjay Kumar Jha (JDU), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Kanimozhi (DMK), Supriya Sule (NCP), and Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena) are visiting several countries. Their objective is to explain the background and objectives of Operation Sindoor and counter Pakistan's narrative on terrorism.Chellaney expressed concern over India repeating past mistakes. "The military movement was in India's favour. Pakistan's air defences proved to be much weaker than Pakistan had expected. They were sending so many drones and missiles into India but not effectively. India, on the other hand, sent a limited number of missiles and drones and was able to hit its targets."He earlier remarked that India had "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory" following the ceasefire understanding announced on May 10.