Is India's battle plan going off the rails?

Most Indian TV channels are now taking long ad breaks shocked by the apparent downing of a IAF fighter & the deafening silence of the MoD. To win, we need to take any reversals in our stride. warfighting is not a TV reality show.

— Vijainder K Thakur (@vkthakur) February 27, 2019

Forget main stream news.  Twitter is the place to get what little facts we have on the fighting.

Having said that did you check out the post above?  It appears that their MOD has a communication problem at the very least and are shell shocked themselves at the loss of aircraft.

This is instructive.

Putting all your eggs in the aviation basket means that you will lose personnel and material.  That's just the way it is.

But has India been misled?

I almost (not quite there but getting close) get the impression that the Indian MOD thought that they would be able to conduct these strikes, claim victory and go back to the status quo.

Pakistan's response seems to have them on their back foot.  I'm cheering for India in this fight but I have to wonder if Pakistan doesn't have a better grasp of the social media game.  I wonder if the Pakis can somehow win even though they might lose on the battlefield due to public perception?

Parachute seen as Pakistan Air Force's F-16 was going down, condition of the pilot is unknown https://t.co/yfcHxDjlXn

— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2019

BREAKING: Confirmed. Pakistan has in its captivity Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, a MiG-21 Bison pilot. Statement from the Indian government shortly.

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) February 27, 2019