The news stories detailed India’s resounding victories: A Pakistani nuclear site, two Pakistani fighter planes, and a portion of Karachi port—the nation’s vital hub for trade and oil—were all destroyed by Indian attacks. Although each piece of information was extremely detailed, none of it was accurate.

How did Indian media spread false war narratives?

In the days leading up to and to last week’s fierce military conflict between India and Pakistan, there has been an incredible amount of misinformation on social media. On both sides of the border, the sheer number of lies, half-truths, memes, deceptive video footage, and artificially altered speeches has made it virtually difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.

However, part of that deluge also found its way into the mainstream media, which worried observers keeping tabs on the growth of Indian sources that were formerly regarded as independent. 

What role did TV channels play in misinformation?

During the four-day confrontation, anchors and pundits turned became evangelists for war between two nuclear-armed powers, intensifying the dash to break news and a jingoistic style to reporting. In the midst of the surge in patriotic fervour, some prominent TV networks broadcast unsubstantiated material or even made-up tales.

Additionally, media outlets covered a purported attack on a nuclear site in Pakistan that was said to have resulted in radioactive leakage. They distributed intricate maps that allegedly depicted the locations of the hits. However, there was no proof to support these assertions. There was also a lot of talk about the Indian Navy striking Karachi. Since then, it has lost credibility.

The newest setback to India’s once-thriving journalism sector is the dissemination of false information on the war between India and Pakistan on mainstream media channels.

What are the long-term risks of false war reporting?

For as long as there has been armed war, propaganda and falsehoods have been disseminated by opposing sides. Furthermore, mainstream media have not been exempt from favourably portraying their nations’ military endeavours or, occasionally, from hastily publishing material that subsequently proves to be inaccurate.

However, disinformation is now far more likely because of social media. Additionally, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, free expression in India has been steadily declining. Numerous news organizations have been under pressure to censor stories that may harm the government’s image. Others have arrived to advertise the government’s initiatives, including several major television networks.

Rajdeep Sardesai, an anchor for the India Today television station and one of India’s most well-known journalists, apologized live to viewers last week for airing rumours that Pakistani planes were shot down, stating that the information was not yet “proven.”

He apologized once more on his YouTube video blog on Saturday, claiming that 24-hour news outlets occasionally fell for the same lies and that some of the lies were part of a purposeful campaign by the “right-wing disinformation machine under the guise of national interest.”

Numerous fabrications broadcast by TV stations, including well-known national channels like Aaj Tak and News18, have been proven by Alt News, an independent fact-checking website in India that aims to filter out false material from mainstream media and social media.

According to Reporters Without Borders, television is a key source of information in India, with over 200 million households owning a television set and over 450 commercial TV channels devoted to news.

The Indian Navy’s raid on Karachi was reported by a number of prominent television networks last week. Reports got out fast. Images of black clouds above the city created by explosions surfaced on social media, and the phrases “Karachi” and “Karachi Port” started trending on X.

Eventually, fact-checkers discovered that the images had come from Gaza. In its briefing after the fighting ended, the Indian Navy indicated that it had been prepared to assault Karachi but had not done so.