SOURCE: AFI
In a brazen display of misinformation, the Directorate General of Public Relations (DGPR) of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has released a new propaganda video that falsely showcases India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile as a Pakistani weapon. The video, which surfaced recently, has drawn widespread criticism for its deceptive portrayal, further eroding the credibility of DGPR PAF’s media campaigns. This incident adds to a growing pattern of misleading content from the PAF’s public relations wing, raising questions about the ethics of such tactics in a region already fraught with tensions.
Older propaganda video, posted on April 29, 2025, by the official DGPR PAF account on X, was titled “Pakistan Air Force Reaffirms Unwavering Commitment to National Sovereignty & Defence Excellence.” It featured a montage of military assets, including what was presented as a Pakistani missile. However, sharp-eyed observers quickly identified the missile as the BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile developed through a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The BrahMos, known for its Mach 2.8-3.0 speed and a range of up to 1,500 km in its extended versions, is a flagship of India’s defense capabilities, with no equivalent in Pakistan’s arsenal.
Community notes on X accompanying the post highlighted the deception, pointing out that the DGPR PAF video also included unrelated footage from SpaceX launches, video games like Call of Duty, Turkish Akinci drones, and Russian S-300/S-400 systems—all misrepresented as PAF assets. This is not the first instance of DGPR PAF being called out for such tactics, but the inclusion of the BrahMos, a missile uniquely associated with India, has amplified the controversy.
The DGPR PAF’s use of misleading footage is part of a broader pattern of propaganda that has drawn scrutiny in recent years. During the 2019 Balakot crisis, Pakistan’s military claimed to have shot down two Indian jets, a narrative later contradicted by evidence and even partially retracted by a senior PAF official in 2025. More recently, Pakistani accounts linked to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) have been accused of spreading false claims about the BrahMos, such as an alleged explosion in the Philippines in July 2024, which was debunked by fact-checkers. These incidents suggest a deliberate strategy to undermine India’s defense achievements while exaggerating Pakistan’s own capabilities.
The inclusion of the BrahMos in the latest DGPR PAF video is particularly egregious, as it not only misrepresents Pakistan’s military capabilities but also attempts to co-opt a symbol of Indian innovation. The video’s timing—coming amidst ongoing regional tensions and Pakistan’s efforts to bolster its defense narrative—suggests an intent to project an image of parity with India, despite the technological and operational gaps between the two nations.
The video has sparked outrage in India, with defense analysts and social media users condemning the PAF’s actions as a desperate attempt to mislead the public. “This is a new low for DGPR PAF,” wrote one Indian military commentator on X. “Claiming the BrahMos as their own is not just propaganda—it’s an insult to the intelligence of anyone who understands defense technology.” Others pointed out the irony of the PAF using footage of a missile it failed to intercept during the 2022 incident, when an accidentally launched BrahMos traveled 124 km into Pakistani territory, undetected until it crashed near Mian Channu.
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