Online campaign targets the country’s top military official over frank remarks on Operation Sindoor losses
NEW DELHI — The unrelenting wave of online trolling has now turned towards one of the country’s most senior military officials – Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces.
The trolling of Gen Chauhan follows a similar vilification campaign launched against Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who drew the wrath of the right-wingers as he announced the cessation of the Indo-Pak hostilities in the wake of the post-Pahalgam Operation Sindoor.
CDS Gen Chauhan is now facing a coordinated hate campaign on social media after making candid remarks in an interview with Bloomberg about India’s military setbacks during Operation Sindoor.
At the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday (31 May), General Chauhan acknowledged that India suffered losses, including the downing of fighter jets by Pakistan during the four-day conflict in May. He also admitted to “tactical mistakes” by the Indian Army on the first day of the operation.
“We learnt from the mistakes, made course corrections, and bounced back after two days,” he said.
These remarks, especially the confirmation of Indian jets being shot down, have sparked outrage among right-wing social media users who are accusing the CDS of undermining national morale and questioning his conduct.
Pakistan had claimed that it shot down six Indian fighter jets, including Rafales. Former BJP leader and ex-Union Minister Subramanian Swamy echoed similar claims, stating five jets were downed.
The Indian government, however, has yet to officially confirm any losses or respond to repeated claims by US President Donald Trump, who asserted that he intervened to broker the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
Gen Chauhan’s comments also appeared to subtly contradict Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s narrative. While Modi has stated that “Pakistan was begging for mercy”, the CDS maintained that the 10 May ceasefire was “strategic” and finalised only after India had achieved all its objectives.
In a further departure from the government’s narrative, Gen Chauhan criticised the Indian media for spreading misinformation during the conflict.
“About 15% of our operational time during Operation Sindoor was spent countering fake narratives and disinformation,” he said during the interview.
Gen Chauhan’s statement is seen as the first formal acknowledgment of the Indian losses during the May conflict. As a result, an online mob, led largely by right-wing influencers, has erupted with calls for his dismissal, accusing him of indiscipline and undermining national security.
“My issue isn’t that it was said, but how it was said. The CDS and the High Commissioner to Singapore jumped the gun. This wasn’t their decision to make. Consequences need to follow this kind of indiscipline,” wrote commentator Abhijit Iyer-Mitra on X (formerly Twitter).
Some have also targeted Gen Chauhan’s oratory and English-language proficiency.
“I’m sorry but CDS Anil Chauhan just ruined it all with his limited fluency. He is clearly not articulate and should NOT have given an international interview when he struggles with effective communication. Every word will be dissected and twisted to shape narratives,” wrote user @ppalzee on X.
Another critic, Prof Madan M. Sharma (@mmsharma102), posted: “The CDS of India Gen Chauhan should not have given interviews to media, especially foreign ones. He did not show the maturity required of his position. I always felt he was not the right choice for CDS.”
The trolling of Gen Chauhan is not an isolated incident.
Foreign Secretary Misri came under a wave of online vitriol from online ‘trolls’, including personal attacks and the public disclosure of private information, following the agreement between India and Pakistan to halt military operations.
The abuse, which erupted on social media platforms, targeted not only Misri but also his family members, drawing criticism from civil society groups and online users who denounced the personal nature of the attacks. Misri was labelled a “traitor” and “desh drohi,” according to media reports, while several posts questioned the citizenship status of his daughters, a move that observers said crossed ethical lines.
Critics also claimed Misri had acted beyond his remit in announcing the ceasefire.
Before Misri, hate was directed at Himanshi Narwal, the widow of an Indian Navy officer killed in the Pahalgam attack. She was viciously targeted online after she appealed for calm and urged people not to vilify Muslims or Kashmiris in the name of revenge.
This pattern of targeted trolling raises concerns about how online discourse is increasingly weaponised against individuals – including military officers, diplomats, and grieving families – who express views perceived as deviating from dominant nationalist narratives.
