India, March 20 -- A coordinated disinformation campaign allegedly originating from Pakistan-based networks sought to exploit a recent maritime conflict involving the United States and Iran to target India's diplomatic standing, according to detailed open-source intelligence assessments.

The incident in question is the strike on Iranian Navy's frigate IRIS Dena, which was torpedoed and sunk by the US on March 4 off the Sri Lankan coast.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth described the strike as demonstrating that Iranian vessels were not safe even in international waters, with released periscope footage showing the impact. The frigate had no opportunity to surrender, and debates persist over whether warnings were issued, though naval war...