REGIONAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA NARRATIVES ON THE INDUS WATERS TREATY DURING OPERATION SINDOOR: A COMPARATIVE FRAMING ANALYSIS IN POST-370 JAMMU AND KASHMIR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i12s.2026.8331Keywords:
Indus Waters Treaty, Operation Sindoor, Media Framing, Hydropolitics, Securitization, Conflict Reporting, Jammu and Kashmir, Post-Article 370, Regional Media, National MediaAbstract [English]
The post-abrogation period in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed major transformations in political discourse, security narratives, and regional media practices. The Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025 and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor intensified tensions between India and Pakistan and brought renewed focus to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), one of the longest surviving water-sharing agreements in South Asia. India’s decision to suspend participation in certain treaty mechanisms marked a significant shift in the relationship between hydro-diplomacy and national security. The present study examines how regional and national newspapers framed the Indus Waters Treaty during Operation Sindoor. The study comparatively analyses the coverage of Greater Kashmir, Daily Excelsior, and The Hindu between April 22 and May 15, 2025. Using qualitative comparative content analysis, the research explores differences in framing patterns, thematic emphasis, language use, source selection, headline orientation, and visual representation. The fndings reveal clear differences in editorial orientation. Greater Kashmir largely framed the issue through humanitarian and diplomatic concerns while also situating the developments within historical and legal continuity. Daily Excelsior strongly emphasized nationalism, retaliation, and securitization narratives, presenting the treaty suspension as a strategic response to terrorism. The Hindu adopted a policy-oriented and diplomatic framing, focusing on regional stability, international implications, and legal dimensions of the treaty. The study draws upon Framing Theory, Securitization Theory, and Conflict Reporting Models to interpret these differences. The findings suggest that media framing in post-370 Jammu and Kashmir is shaped not only by geography and readership but also by political positioning and institutional orientation. By examining the intersection of hydropolitics, terrorism, diplomacy, and media narratives, the study contributes to the growing scholarship on conflict reporting and resource securitization in South Asia.
References
Awasthi, S. (2025, May 13). Weaponising the narrative: Social media propaganda post-Pahalgam attack. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/weaponising-the-narrative-social-media-propaganda-post-pahalgam-attack
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Buzan, B., Wæver, O., & de Wilde, J. (1998). Security: A new framework for analysis. Lynne Rienner. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781685853808
Daily Excelsior. (2025, April 23). Two foreigners, IB and Navy officers among 26 tourists killed in deadly terror attack at Pahalgam. Daily Excelsior.
Daily Excelsior. (2025, April 24). Jammu stands united against terror. Daily Excelsior.
Daily Excelsior. (2025, May 6). India readies to strike back after Pahalgam attack. Daily Excelsior.
Daily Excelsior. (2025, May 8). India destroys terror infrastructure during Operation Sindoor. Daily Excelsior.
Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x
Galtung, J. (1998). High road, low road: Charting the course for peace journalism. Track Two, 7(4), 7–10.
Greater Kashmir. (2025, April 23). Kashmir gutted, Kashmiris grieving after Pahalgam tragedy. Greater Kashmir.
Greater Kashmir. (2025, April 26). Kashmir observes grief and unity after terror attack. Greater Kashmir.
Greater Kashmir. (2025, May 7). India strikes terror camps, calls for restraint. Greater Kashmir.
Hall, S. (2019). Encoding and decoding. In Crime and media (pp. 44–55). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367809195-6
Hanitzsch, T. (2007). Situating peace journalism in journalism studies: A critical appraisal. Conflict & Communication Online, 6(2), 1–9.
Iyer, R. R. (2019). Water resource treaties in South Asia: Resilience and fragility. Water Policy, 21(3), 456–472. https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2019.239
Kaul, S. (2023). Media realignments in Kashmir: Post-370 transformations in editorial policies. Journal of South Asian Media Studies, 12(1), 33–50.
Krippendorff, K. (2019). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071878781
Lynch, J., & McGoldrick, A. (2005). Peace journalism. Hawthorn Press.
McCombs, M. (2004). Setting the agenda: The mass media and public opinion. Polity.
Nacos, B. L. (2000). Accomplice or witness? The media’s role in terrorism. Current History, 99(636), 174–178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2000.99.636.174
Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook (2nd ed.). Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071873045
Pande, A. (Ed.). (2021). Routledge handbook on South Asian foreign policy. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429054808
Parray, I. (2020). Kashmir media policy: Accentuating curbs on freedom of the press. Economic and Political Weekly Engage.
Press Council of India. (2021). Report on Jammu and Kashmir media scenario after abrogation of Article 370 and 35A. Press Council of India.
Reuters. (2025, May 10). India-Pakistan water treaty remains suspended despite ceasefire, sources say. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/india-pakistan-water-treaty-remains-suspended-despite-ceasefire-sources-say-2025-05-10/
Scheufele, D. A., & Tewksbury, D. (2007). Framing, agenda setting, and priming: The evolution of three media effects models. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 9–20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0021-9916.2007.00326.x
Singh, V. (2024). Media polarization in Jammu and Kashmir: Comparative trends in regional English dailies. Journal of Media Studies, 16(2), 102–119.
The Hindu Bureau. (2023, August 5). Article 370 caused spread of terrorism in Kashmir: Amit Shah. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article-370-caused-spread-of-terrorism-in-kashmir-amit-shah/article69054617.ece
The Hindu Bureau. (2025, May 7). Pahalgam terror attack: Operation Sindoor launch — Live updates. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pahalgam-terror-attack-operation-sindoor-launch-live-updates-may-7-2025/article69543511.ece
The Hindu Bureau. (2025, May 8). India-Pakistan tensions and Indus Waters Treaty developments. The Hindu.
Thussu, D. K. (2002). Managing the media in conflict situations. In International communication. Routledge.
Wolfsfeld, G. (2004). Media and the path to peace. Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511489105
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (6th ed.). Sage.
Zeitoun, M., & Warner, J. (2006). Hydro-hegemony: A framework for analysis of transboundary water conflicts. Water Policy, 8(5), 435–460. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2006.054
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ms Mansi Mantoo, Dr. Nadim Akhter, Dr. Sumit K. Pandey, Dr. Monica Narang, Dr. Rinnie Mahajan, Dr. Sandeep Singh, Dr. Kartika Bakshi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
