Paresh Baruah: The Master of Military Deception
An analysis of misinformation and narrative control in ULFA(I)’s strategy
“In war, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.”
— Winston Churchill
The use of deception as a deliberate instrument of warfare is as old as conflict itself. From The Art of War by Sun Tzu to the Allied deception plans before D-Day, misdirection has been crucial to confusing the adversary, bolstering morale, and preserving one’s own strategic advantage.
In Northeast India, one figure who has consistently used deception — not only on the battlefield but also in shaping public and international perceptions — is Paresh Baruah, the commander of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) [ULFA(I)].
This report examines how Baruah has deployed false or exaggerated claims as a tactic, the specific cases of such deception, and its impact on public opinion, counter-insurgency efforts, and his standing in the international and Assamese psyche.
Background: ULFA(I) and its Struggle
ULFA was formed in 1979 with the aim of establishing a “sovereign Assam” through armed struggle. Over the decades, the movement fractured, and Baruah became the leader of its most radical wing, ULFA(I), which continues to reject peace talks and operates mainly from bases in Myanmar.
Once a feared guerrilla commander, Paresh Baruah now largely relies on propaganda and narrative warfare to maintain ULFA(I)’s relevance, as its capacity for sustained armed operations inside Assam has dwindled considerably due to Indian security forces’ successful counter-insurgency campaigns.
Case Studies in Deception
Operation Balwan (2005) — Dibru–Saikhowa National Park
In mid-2005, the Indian Army launched Operation Balwan, targeting the ULFA’s 28th Battalion entrenched in the dense Dibru–Saikhowa National Park. On September 20, 2005, Indian forces killed 17 ULFA cadres, including prominent leader Achinta Saikia and female cadre Jahnavi Gogoi.
Yet, on July 4, 2005 — more than two months before the operation succeeded — Paresh Baruah issued a statement claiming that 12 ULFA cadres, including Achinta Saikia, had already been killed by Indian forces in the park.
Why announce casualties that hadn’t occurred yet?
This premature and false announcement likely aimed to:
* Claim martyrdom before events unfolded.
* Garner public sympathy and mobilise support.
* Distract security forces by creating confusion.
The actual encounter on September 20 revealed the deception.
Myanmar Camp Attack Claims (2025)
On July 14, 2025, Baruah alleged that Indian forces carried out drone, artillery, and missile strikes on ULFA(I) camps in Myanmar’s Sagaing region. According to him, the strikes killed at least three senior ULFA(I) commanders — including Lt. Gen. Nayan Asom, Brigadier Ganesh Asom, and Colonel Pradip Asom — and injured many others.
These claims coincided with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to China for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (July 13–15, 2025) — an opportune moment when the region was already under global scrutiny.
Indian Army and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promptly denied any knowledge or involvement, and no independent verification of the alleged strikes has emerged so far.
Strategic Objectives of the Deception
Baruah’s use of false or exaggerated claims serves several purposes:
1. Maintaining Relevance
In an era when ULFA(I)’s operational capacity is diminished, such statements keep the group in the headlines — both domestically and internationally — as a continuing threat.
2. Sympathy & Recruitment
Claims of martyrdom and external aggression feed into a narrative of victimhood, which can inspire sympathy among sections of the Assamese populace and attract recruits.
3. Psychological Warfare
By creating confusion among the security forces and inflating ULFA(I)’s perceived strength, Baruah aims to demoralise opponents and elevate ULFA(I)'s standing.
