ABSTRACT
Most of the social-media activity came from domestic actors in India, particularly in the lead-up to the elections in April and May, during the crisis and in its aftermath. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its supporters used the crisis to reinforce a domestic narrative that it was more effective at countering terrorism than the rival Congress Party, along with international narrative that India remained a victim of Pakistani-supported terrorism. While India’s difficulties in Kashmir are rooted in poor governance and domestic grievances, Pakistan’s active support for separatism and militancy in Kashmir has notably coincided with its acquisition of covert nuclear capabilities. Tensions between India and Pakistan have intensified further since both nations tested nuclear weapons in 1998. As both countries and their politicians have expanded social-media usage, platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have become arenas for exchanging barbs. Pakistani officials, including a former national-security adviser, have repeatedly complained about India-based social-media accounts spreading disinformation about Pakistan and Afghanistan.
