THE recent tussle between India and Pakistan culminated in a significant and historic humiliation for India.
New Delhi and Modi’s blind bhakts went through the five stages of grief—beginning with anger and outright denial of the losses suffered. The critical role played by Open Source Intelligence (OSNIT) and broader geopolitical diplomacy has compelled even the most rigid Hindutva voices to acknowledge the historic setbacks endured by India. A series of self-confessions by senior Indian officials, along with confirmations from independent international intelligence sources, has further validated India’s military misadventure as a resounding defeat.
It’s noteworthy that Pakistan remained the champion of restraint throughout the conflict. Reportedly, while PAF had over 80 jets on lock it once again chose peace by only downing 7 jets. Moreover, Pakistan military refrained from going on the offensive in the form of large scale operations by only targeting military bases and installations, while India conducted airstrikes against civilian populations and targets. Additionally, Pakistan had readily accepted the ceasefire agreement vividly reflecting its peaceful posturing and foreign policy. Despite this show of restraint and heavy losses, India had continued with weaving its web of deceits, lies and false and fake propaganda.
Constantly denying its losses, exaggerated the success by basing it on Bollywood fantasy, persisting with its hollow threats, thereby revealing a strategy built more on bluster than on substance. Defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) did not include the April attack on Indian tourists as part of its joint declaration. New Delhi threats to abrogate the Indus Water Treaty, which has been deemed illegal by the permanent court of arbitration and proclamations that Operation Sindoor or Sindoor 2 is still in full swing is nothing less than naked provocation.
Pakistan responded through open-source intelligence, including satellite imagery to assess post-strike damage, reports and uploads from local journalists and civilians and information from social media platforms and local media outlets—together providing a comprehensive picture of the conflict. Definitely, satellite imagery and local media reports have confirmed that Pakistan had downed 6-7 Indian Jets in Bathinda, Pulwama, Ramban, Pampore etc. The OSNIT did not stop there and disclosed Fateh-I and Fateh-II hits on various military installations, air bases and storage facilities.
With videos and satellite imagery showing direct hits at Beas Brahmos missile storage facility, complete destruction of components of the S-400 integrated air defense system in Udhampur and devastation of Pathankot, Jammu and other air bases have proved to be critical evidence of the significant losses suffered by the Indian side.
This is a complete rejection of 100 percent interception rhetoric and reputational setback for India on the global stage. It also underpins that Pakistan’s OSNIT has culminated into a critical force multiplier in the regional conflict, by offering real time on ground intelligence and aiding narrative control through verified evidence, thereby underscoring its critical role in fifth-generation psychological and information warfare.
It is noteworthy that after months of lies and denial, the Indian deputy army chief and Minister of External Affairs have finally agreed that India did face massive losses in the form of losing at least 3 Rafaels and 2 s-400 battery units, ultimately a great victory for the armed forces of Pakistan.
India has faced diplomatic humiliation and international isolation with allies moving away from New Delhi’s eroding and misguided foreign policy. While on the other hand Pakistan government must be lauded for its critical maneuvered foreign policy in the aftermath of the conflict, focusing on fostering strong ties with all regional countries for greater narrative building and deepening cooperation.
Moreover, the expected fast tracking of J-35 delivery and HQ-9 air defense system to Pakistan from China further rings bells of alarm for India as it will transform PAF into a modern aerospace power, further neutralizing India’s numerical superiority with first-look, first-shot, first-kill dynamics. The recent failure has already resulted in India suffering strategic and symbolic losses that have undermined confidence in its frontline systems. This is translated into the reluctance of the US to supply F-35s to India, fearing that the operational mismanagement could falter its two trillion-dollar stealth program.
Indian efforts to rekindle its international image has miserably failed as even the Latin American states are hesitant to meet Indian Parliamentarians, thereby forcing them to camp at Indian embassies and communicate only with the Indian Diaspora. In summary, it seems that Pakistan’s Operation Bunyanun Marsoos has become a nightmare for Indian leadership and armed forces.
The writer suggests that policy makers of Pakistan must further strengthen their military cooperation with China in diverse sectors of production along with further consolidating strategic partnership with Azerbaijan and Türkiye accelerating joint production of 5th generation war jet of Kaan and deadly drones.
—The writer is Executive Director: The Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy.
