War in the age of social media

In today's digital warfare, Krishna's old tactic plays out on screens at lightning speed. The battle for truth, it turns out, is the battle of our time

- RISHI RAJ

THE MAHABHARATA is a timeless epic, which offers wisdom applicable across centuries, including in governance, diplomacy, and warfare. Among its many tales, one particular episode from the battle of Kurukshetra echoes eerily in today's digital age of war and misinformation.

During the height of the Kurukshetra war, the Pandava brothers were left floundering before their teacher, Dronacharya, whose unrelenting assault threatened to turn the tide in favor of the Kauravas. Even Arjun, the fiercest of warriors, could not face his mentor's prowess. Krishna, ever the strategist, knew that defeating Dronacharya through might alone was futile. Instead, he advised psychological warfare. He proposed a ploy to break Dronacharya's spirit: they would spread the false news that his beloved son Ashwatthama had been killed.

To maintain a semblance of truth, they exploited a technicality. Bhima killed an elephant named Ashwatthama, and Yudhishthira, known for never lying, announced that "Ashwatthama is dead," only to murmur afterward that it was the elephant. Deceived by the trustworthiness of the messenger, Dronacharya laid down his arms and was slain. The victory, though strategic, was marred by deceit. This instance reminds us that misinformation, regardless of morality, has been a tactical tool in warfare for millennia.

Fast forward to the present, where the current India-Pakistan conflict—a tenuous ceasefire was declared over the weekend—is also simultaneously being played 24/7 in the digital arena. Just as Krishna exploited narrative manipulation to gain advantage, modern actors, both state and non-state, are using social media to shape public perception, disorient the enemy, and steer national and international responses.