Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi Discusses Narrative Management And Operations Against Terrorism

India

-Gaurav Sharma

Updated: Sunday, August 10, 2025, 7:49 [IST]

General
Upendra
Dwivedi,
the
Army
chief,
emphasised
that
victory
is
a
mental
state.
He
explained
how
Pakistan’s
narrative
management
during
Operation
Sindoor
convinced
its
citizens
of
their
triumph
in
the
recent
conflict.
“Narrative
management
system
is
something
which
we
realise
in
a
big
way
because
victory
is
in
mind.
It’s
always
in
mind,” he
stated
at
IIT
Madras.

The
Indian
forces
effectively
countered
Pakistan’s
strategy
by
leveraging
social
media
and
other
platforms
to
communicate
their
message
widely.
“Strategic
messaging
was
very
important,
and
that’s
why
the
first
messaging
that
we
did
was,
justice
done,” General
Dwivedi
noted.
This
message
resonated
globally,
receiving
significant
attention.

Operation
Sindoor:
A
Strategic
Response

Operation
Sindoor
was
India’s
decisive
response
to
the
Pahalgam
massacre,
a
horrific
terror
attack.
On
April
22,
terrorists
linked
to
Pakistan
attacked
tourists
in
Jammu
and
Kashmir’s
Pahalgam,
killing
26
people.
The
nation
was
engulfed
in
grief
and
anger
following
this
tragedy.

In
retaliation,
Indian
forces
targeted
nine
terror
sites
within
Pakistan
and
Pakistan-Occupied
Kashmir.
On
May
7,
aerial
strikes
were
launched
early
morning,
resulting
in
the
elimination
of
over
100
terrorists
at
these
camps.
This
operation
demonstrated
India’s
resolve
against
terrorism.

Narrative
Management:
A
Key
Strategy

General
Dwivedi
highlighted
the
importance
of
narrative
management
in
influencing
perceptions
among
domestic
and
adversary
populations.
He
mentioned
that
if
asked
about
their
victory
or
loss,
a
Pakistani
might
say
they
won
because
their
chief
became
a
field
marshal.
This
illustrates
how
narratives
shape
public
perception.

The
Indian
Army
also
focused
on
strategic
messaging
through
press
conferences
held
by
two
women
officers
from
the
Indian
Army
and
Air
Force.
The
COAS
pointed
out
that
a
Lieutenant
Colonel
and
an
NCO
created
a
logo
seen
worldwide
as
part
of
these
efforts.

Operation
Mahadev:
Continuing
Efforts

In
addition
to
Operation
Sindoor,
Indian
forces
conducted
Operation
Mahadev
last
month.
During
this
operation,
three
terrorists
involved
in
the
Pahalgam
massacre
were
tracked
down
and
neutralised
by
the
forces.
These
operations
underscore
India’s
commitment
to
combating
terrorism
effectively.

The
strategic
messaging
employed
by
India
was
simple
yet
impactful,
as
noted
by
General
Dwivedi.
It
required
significant
time
and
effort
but
proved
essential
for
conveying
India’s
stance
on
global
platforms
during
these
operations.

India’s
response
to
terrorism
through
operations
like
Sindoor
and
Mahadev
highlights
its
determination
to
safeguard
its
citizens
while
effectively
managing
narratives
on
both
domestic
and
international
fronts.