When Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a brief video in late November showing a missile launching from a grey warship, it appeared to be a routine announcement of a successful test of the indigenously developed P-282 “SMASH” anti-ship ballistic missile. Official statements described the system as capable of striking “sea and land targets with high precision,” a standard form of messaging widely used by militaries around the world.
Yet within minutes, the video was transformed across social media. Defense-themed accounts circulated altered interpretations, claiming hypersonic speeds, ranges of nearly 800 kilometers, and the capability to neutralize India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Analysts quickly noted that these claims far exceeded the missile’s estimated operational range of 290–350 kilometers, aligned with the specifications of China’s CM-401 coastal missile. Many videos were digitally manipulated or reused from previous tests, forming a synthetic narrative now referred to as Pakistan’s “AI Navy”—a virtual fleet projecting far greater capabilities than the real-world surface fleet could sustain.
Pakistan’s actual naval modernization has slowed over the past decade. Its surface fleet is limited, technologically uneven, and several major warships face maintenance and propulsion challenges. Submarine expansion programs, such as the Hangor-class, have experienced delays, and the navy’s budget is constrained by broader economic pressures. Against this backdrop, the surge of long-range missile claims is striking, highlighting a strategy of perception warfare that contrasts sharply with operational reality.
The use of synthetic media extends beyond missile footage. Deepfake videos targeting senior Indian naval officers have circulated online, blending authentic visuals with artificially generated audio to simulate criticism of government handling of operations or internal dissent. While there is no public evidence linking these deepfakes directly to state institutions, analysts note that the accounts promoting them frequently amplify official ISPR narratives, reflecting a deliberate strategy of cognitive warfare.
During Operation Sindoor, India’s naval deployment following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan’s real-world vessels remained largely near Karachi, constrained by readiness issues. Yet online portrayals depicted strikes against Indian ships, manoeuvring missiles, and dynamic battle sequences. Chinese defense-linked media amplified these narratives, praising Pakistan’s missile developments and framing them as stabilizing the regional balance, indicating a broader information alignment between Islamabad and Beijing.
Experts argue that these synthetic campaigns demonstrate a new form of strategic influence. By using AI-generated content and doctored visuals, resource-constrained states like Pakistan can compensate for material limitations, influence domestic and regional perceptions, and obscure gaps in operational capability. The risk extends to crisis stability: viral videos or fabricated statements could escalate tensions or distort public understanding of events at sea. Analysts caution that in future conflicts, the first impactful “moves” may not come from ships or missiles but from screens and social media, where perception increasingly shapes power.
Pakistan’s naval modernization may be slow in steel and electronics, but its digital fleet continues to advance rapidly. In the emerging maritime environment of South Asia, operational capability and informational integrity are now intertwined, with synthetic narratives potentially altering the calculus of deterrence and strategic decision-making across the region.
