After ISI, ISPR is the new obsession for Indians

Indians, including military strategists and media, have always been preoccupied with Pakistan’s military premier spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), but now the media wing of Pakistani armed forces, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has become a new obsession for the neighbouring country.

Although, it is an established fact that Pakistan won a victory in the 27 February dogfight with India, their former military commanders and intelligence specialists are also accepting that the South Asian giant, Pakistan, had a major lead in the war of information domain as well.

Few days earlier, a retired Indian general had appreciated ISPR for employing “outstanding strategy” in the domain of hybrid warfare. Now, a prominent cyber-intelligence specialist is suggesting his Indian government to learn from the army’s media wing.

In an article published on Indian news website The Print, the author warns his government that the ISPR is a next big threat for India after the ISI.

ISPR has been severely underestimated in the Indian strategic circles

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that India has been late in spotting the danger: if there is a Pakistani inter-services directorate as lethal as the Inter Services Intelligence, it is, undoubtedly, the Inter-Services Public Relations.”

While giving his personal account as a cyber strategist, the author continues: “I have always held the opinion that the role, or rather the potential, of the ISPR has been severely underestimated in the Indian strategic circles.”

Referring to the air strikes of Feb 27, he wrote “Pakistan had an undue structural advantage in the information battlespace.”

The author made his attempt to gauge the potential of the ISPR, and acknowledged that “the ISPR could have weaponised its mandate to wage a full-frontal cyber-enabled information offensive.”

Cautioning his government, the writer suggested that India should also imitate a department like ISPR.