Information Warfare Amid India-Pakistan Tensions: The Faces Behind the Battle of Narratives

India-Pakistan Tensions: The 'Information War' and the Military Officers Who Became the Face of This 'War'

On May 7, a press conference was held to share the initial details of India's 'Operation Sandur' carried out in Pakistan. Among others, two female officers from the Indian armed forces also participated.

Following this initial press briefing, both India and Pakistan began holding similar press conferences almost daily over the past five days. These briefings featured military spokespersons from both countries, as well as officers who provided details about military operations.

These officers include Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed of the Pakistan Air Force, and Pakistan’s DG ISPR Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry—each of whom has been a topic of discussion on social media in both countries.

Now that a ceasefire has been declared, the conversation has shifted to the 'information warfare' between the two nations. People are analyzing and comparing the press briefings and claims made from both sides.


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Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed

In press briefings organized by Pakistan, details of Pakistan Air Force operations were shared by Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed. Many clips of his briefings have gone viral on social media in Pakistan.

The spokesperson of the Pakistan Air Force told BBC Urdu’s Maniza Anwar that Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed was commissioned into the GD(P) branch of the Pakistan Air Force in December 1992.

According to the spokesperson, during his career, he has commanded a fighter squadron and an operational airbase. He has also served as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operational Requirements and Development) at Air Headquarters in Islamabad.

The spokesperson added that he holds a Master's degree in Military Arts from China and another Master's in National Security and War Studies from National Defence University, Islamabad.

Aurangzeb Ahmed has also served at the National Defence University as Directing Staff and a faculty member.

He also served as commander of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex team in Saudi Arabia, and has held positions as DG PR Air Force and DG Warfare and Strategy.

Currently, he is serving as Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations) at Air Headquarters. In the past, he has also been awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military), a prestigious military award in Pakistan.


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Colonel Sophia Qureshi

Colonel Sophia Qureshi, from the Indian state of Gujarat, is an officer in the Indian Army. She first gained media attention in 2016 during multinational field training exercises held in Pune, India.

Named 'Force 18', these exercises included ASEAN Plus countries and were considered the largest ground forces exercises in India at the time.

Colonel Qureshi, then a Lieutenant Colonel from the Signals Corps, led a 40-member Indian contingent. She became the first female officer to lead an Indian training team in a multinational exercise.

At the time, India’s Ministry of Defence highlighted her on social media and shared her photos.

Sophia Qureshi comes from a military family in Gujarat; her grandfather also served in the Indian Army. She has completed post-graduation in biochemistry.

She has also served in the UN Peacekeeping Force for six years, and in 2006, she spent time in Congo, where her primary role was to support training related to peacekeeping operations.


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Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry: DG ISPR

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, head of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistan Army, is known for conducting long press briefings on security matters. During the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, he was often seen leading joint briefings on behalf of the armed forces.

At times, he appeared with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at the Foreign Office; at others, with Air Force and Navy officials detailing various operations.

He was promoted to Lieutenant General in May of last year and has been serving as the 22nd DG ISPR since December 2022.

In the past, he also served as head of Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), which works on weapons systems and scientific research. He has also served in the Military Operations Directorate.

General Ahmed Sharif belongs to the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME), a branch from which very few officers reach the three-star rank.

Senior journalist Baqir Sajjad Syed told the BBC that before his appointment as DG ISPR, General Sharif held numerous key positions and has vast operational experience.


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Vyomika Singh

The second officer who briefed the media about Operation Sandur was Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force.

Vyomika Singh is a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force. According to Indian media, she had always aspired to become a pilot, and her name itself means “one connected to the sky.”

She was part of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and has an academic background in engineering. In 2019, she received a permanent commission as a pilot in the flying branch of the Indian Air Force.

She has more than 2,500 flying hours of experience and, according to the Indian Air Force, has flown in difficult conditions in Jammu & Kashmir and northeastern India.

She has also played an important role in several rescue operations, one of which took place in November 2020 in Arunachal Pradesh.