India and Pakistan engage in perception war

Both sides claim win in military conflict over Kashmir but results of PR campaigns differ

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) roused his countrymen at rallies while his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan's peace gesture over the Indian pilot has won praise at home.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) roused his countrymen at rallies while his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan's peace gesture over the Indian pilot has won praise at home.
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A dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter jets over the de facto Kashmir border may have been claimed by both sides as a military win. But as both countries stepped back from the brink of hostilities, many are now wondering which exactly won the perception battle.

Hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad, which have fought three wars and a limited conflict, rose again after India carried out an air strike on Feb 26 against what it said was a terror camp in Balakot belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 10, 2019, with the headline India and Pakistan engage in perception war. Subscribe