Operation Sindoor, a significant military operation, was a landmark event. While tactically successful, it highlighted an important gap in India's narrative and perception management both domestically and globally. It is essential to acknowledge that modern conflicts are fought as much in the information domain as on the battlefield. The battle of narratives is a continuous, real-time operation that must align with India's political, diplomatic, economic, human resource, military, and cybersecurity aims.

Strategic communication must be treated as a national asset—planned, rehearsed, resourced, and defended. A nation's power today is judged not just by its military or economy but also by the credibility, speed, and resonance of its narrative. As adversaries evolve their hybrid warfare strategies to target public opinion, social trust, and international perception, India must develop a narrative response architecture that is anticipatory rather than reactive, and holistic rather than fragmented.

Some strategic and tactical recommendations to enhance India's narrative and perception management capabilities, and outline the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders. A sustained effort involving state institutions, private think tanks, media, academia, and diaspora networks is essential to achieving national narrative dominance.

Strategic-Level Suggestions

Establish a National Narrative Warfare Command (NNWC): -

·An apex inter-ministerial body under NSCS/PMO

·Members from MEA, MIB, MoD, MHA, armed forces, intelligence agencies, cyber security experts, government and private think tanks, and academic institutions (e.g., IDSA, ORF, CLAWS, Takshashila Institution, NIAS, IITs, JNU, Ashoka University)

·Tasked with crafting coordinated strategic narratives for domestic and global audiences

Define Core National Narratives:-

·Long-term storylines projecting India's civilizational strength, democratic values, resilience, and strategic restraint

·Tailored sub-narratives for different geopolitical audiences and regions

Narrative Contingency Protocols: -

·Templates for terrorist attacks, cross-border operations, diplomatic setbacks, etc.

·Pre-approved media packages, FAQs, and explainer videos

·Designated spokespersons trained for media engagement under crisis conditions

·Whole-of-Government Communication Strategy:

·SOPs for coordinated messaging by MEA, MoD, PIB, and PMO

·Daily/weekly inter-agency sync meetings

·Media monitoring dashboards for narrative alignment and course correction

·Global Strategic Communication Cells (GSCCs):

·Set up in Indian embassies in key capitals

·Real-time media engagement and rebuttal capabilities

·Interface with host-nation media, think tanks, and diaspora thought leaders

Leverage Diaspora Influence: -

·Build a network of friendly journalists, academics, and influencers abroad

·Mobilise Indian-origin professionals and cultural organisations for narrative support

Civil-Military-Diplomatic Fusion Cells:-

·Real-time information fusion during crises for unified messaging

·Integrated war rooms for coordinated narrative response

Cultural and Civilizational Narrative Use:

·Soft power integration using history, philosophy, mythology, and civilizational imagery

·Include Indian cinema, yoga, Ayurveda, and festivals in narrative exports

Proactive 'Pre-bunking' Strategy:

·Leak controlled narratives ahead of anticipated crises to frame perception

·Use social psychology tools to inoculate audiences against misinformation

Tactical-Level Suggestions

Rapid Response Narrative Teams (RRNTs): -

·Media-trained teams within the armed forces and the MEA

·Issue the first official version within 30 minutes of key incidents

·Equipped with social media amplification tools

Digital Warriors & Influencer Brigades:

·Create and train informal narrative defenders for social media

·Use veterans, scholars, youth leaders, and verified creators to amplify messages

Battlefeed & Visual Content Sharing:

·Curated visuals of operations released in real-time

·Establish trust and counter disinformation through authentic storytelling

·Deep Fake Detection and Counter Tools:

·Invest in AI-based tools to pre-empt and rebut manipulated content

·Partner with Indian tech firms and startups for homegrown solutions

Embed Journalists with Military Units:

·Controlled access to provide credibility and shape accurate narratives

·Avoid perception vacuums that adversaries exploit

Prepositioned Content Banks:

·Ready-to-deploy videos, graphics, and survivor stories for multiple contingencies

·Maintain scenario-specific multimedia libraries

Media-Narrative Sitrep:

·Monitor media trends, perception gaps, and recommend real-time corrections

·Use sentiment analysis to guide outreach tone and content

Cyber Surveillance & Cyber Security Integration:

·Monitor hostile digital infrastructure, detect bot activity, and pre-empt hacking campaigns targeting narrative platforms

·Ensure a secure communication infrastructure for official narrative dissemination

·Coordinate with CERT-IN, NCIIPC, and private sector cyber threat intelligence units

Roles & Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders

Guiding Principles

Speed + Credibility = Control

Emotion + Logic = Impact

Consistency + Coordination = Trust

Counter + Pre-empt + Persist = Dominance

Cyber Shielding + Secure Messaging = Narrative ResilienceB

Beyond Reactive Posturing

Narrative and perception management is no longer a subsidiary function—it is a national security imperative. India must plan and rehearse for this domain with the same seriousness as it does for kinetic warfare. Success in the modern information battlespace depends on both preparation and presence. We must move beyond reactive posturing to establish ourselves as a confident, credible and consistent voice on the global stage.

The creation of a comprehensive, cyber-secure, and forward-looking narrative management ecosystem will not only enhance India's deterrence capability but also uphold its democratic ethos, geopolitical aspirations, and moral legitimacy.

(The writer, an Indian Army veteran and a former officer in the Armoured Corps, is a strategic analyst. Views expressed are personal. He can be reached at manojchannan@gmail.com; linkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/manoj-channan-3412635; X @manojchannan )