Gaps in countering fake news noticed during Op Sindoor: CDS General Anil Chauhan

CDS General Anil Chauhan with Nitin Gokhale. (Photo credit Pune Public Policy Festival team)

One of the gaps noticed during Operation Sindoor was that the Indian Armed forces did not have a system in place to counter fake news, said Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan at the Pune Public Policy Festival on Friday. He said a system to counter such fake news is now being set up in the armed forces infrastructure.

Responding to an audience question about what the armed forces were doing regarding disinformation campaigns such as videos of the Karachi port burning that was shared during Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan said, “One of the deficiencies noticed during Operation Sindoor was that we didn’t have a system in place where we could counter fake news. Not only in social media but also in electronic media. So, now we are putting in place a system in which we will be able to counter it.”

“And this (fake news) will be refuted at best not in real time but in near real time. So, the correct news should be available to the citizens of the country. Because this has to be collected, you know, from a number of geographical locations. So, news such as that Anangpur is under attack or Nagrota beheading has taken place or pilots have been captured, most of them were fake actually. We should be able to put some mechanism in place for this in future.”

During the Operation, social media sites and TV news channels were flooded with unverified information including false reports of attacks on Karachi port, attacks on Islamabad, and arrest of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, leading to a lot of confusion among citizens.

Chauhan also spoke about the ongoing process of theaterisation of armed forces. There have been difference of opinions in the armed forces about the process of creating the structure of theatre commands. Responding to host Nitin Gokhale’s question on the issue, Chauhan said, “I would say that we are almost there. Post Operation Sindoor, we wanted to get some lessons incorporated, especially regarding higher defence organizations and our involvement.”

“In Uri, there was a totally different way of functioning. In Balakot, there was a separate manner. The same was the case during Operation Sindoor, in Galwan, in Dokhlam. What could be a standard system which will work for all contingencies? I’m just giving an example. Otherwise, most of the things we have done and by and large everybody’s on board…”

After Gokhale asked if he could provide a timeline for the completion of the process, Chauhan said the government has given him an extension till May 30 and an attempt was being made to finish the process by then.