One Year of Operation Sindoor: Ex-Army Chief MM Naravane Recalls Indian Media's Misreporting

“By speculating on possible future courses of action, you're also sort of revealing what could happen… You may unknowingly be actually divulging what we were thinking of doing.’” Former Army Chief M. M. Naravane delivers a sharp warning on the dangers of hyper-nationalist TV coverage, AI-generated visuals, and “sutron ke aadhar par” journalism during sensitive military situations. Reflecting on the media environment around the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindhu, he says excessive speculation and sensationalism don’t just create panic — they can compromise operational thinking itself. Naravane points out that credibility is the first casualty when channels prioritise drama over facts: “It was always better to under-report than to over-report.” He also criticises performative coverage — from air raid sirens in studios to unverified viral claims — for manufacturing fear and uncertainty among ordinary citizens. His strongest message, however, is directed at speculative discussions around military strategy: “That kind of speculation ki what next, what next should also be avoided. And therefore, operational matters should never be discussed.” From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our newsroom has relentlessly pursued stories that drive change. We remain committed to asking the tough questions — and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey. Become The Quint’s member and make your support count: https://bit.ly/4j8x6uy For more videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/4gIyCln --------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website for more stories: https://www.thequint.com Check out our Special Projects: https://www.thequint.com/special-projects Subscribe to The Quint’s exclusive newsletters: https://thequint.substack.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow elsewhere: » Join us on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va5ysvjAe5VqBKRhgv2G » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thequint/ » LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/thequint » Twitter: https://x.com/TheQuint » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quintillion/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Video: The Quint