New Delhi (TDI): India has launched a new covert military operation titled “Operation Mahadev” to cover up its recent failures in military clash with Pakistan.
The objective reportedly includes to frame detained Pakistani nationals, many of whom are languishing in Indian prisons without charges, as infiltrators killed in action.
The move is being seen as a continuation of earlier propaganda efforts. Operation Sindoor, India’s previous attempt to assert control along the Line of Control, ended in failure when Pakistan launched a strong and coordinated military response.
Now, under Operation Mahadev, India is said to be recycling old tactics, reviving scripted engagements and manufacturing evidence to fit a predetermined narrative, according to Geo News.
Reports suggest that Pakistani prisoners already in Indian custody may be presented as armed militants. There are growing concerns that these detainees could be killed in staged clashes and falsely declared as terrorists who crossed into Indian territory.
Following a suspicious incident in Pahalgam, Indian forces resumed such encounters. On April 24, two young Kashmiris were reportedly killed after straying across the border.
Read More: Pakistan open to constructive dialogue with India, PM
Images and video footage of the dead, along with weapons allegedly planted near the bodies, have already made their way to Indian news outlets, raising further doubts about the authenticity of the operation.
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan’s military (DG ISPR), had earlier raised alarms regarding the fate of 723 Pakistani nationals in Indian jails. Of these, 56 individuals are believed to have been picked up by Indian intelligence services under murky circumstances.
In briefings held at the end of April, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry had specifically warned that these detainees might be forced into giving false statements or later used in false-flag operations, where they could be killed and posthumously labeled as terrorists.
Read More: No Proof Pahalgam Attackers Came from Pakistan: Congress Leader
The timing of this new operation is no coincidence. India’s ruling leadership is under immense pressure after suffering a military blow in May, when Pakistan responded to Operation Sindoor with its own offensive Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos. Over the course of 87 hours, Pakistani forces brought down six Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets, and neutralized a large number of drones.
The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10, but the political fallout in New Delhi has been difficult to contain. Analysts believe that Operation Mahadev is a carefully crafted effort by the Indian government to reclaim control over public perception, particularly with elections looming and national pride at stake.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
