Fact check: Govt debunks false claims, advises people to verify information

The government stated that most misinformation has surfaced from Pakistani social accounts. PIB debunked nine fake claims amid rising cross-border tensions

The Centre has launched a coordinated effort to counter a wave of misinformation, largely originating from Pakistani media and social media handles. On Saturday, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) dismissed several more fake claims, including the capture of a female Indian Air Force pilot. 

This comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, a series of coordinated missile strikes by the Indian armed forces on terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes, carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, were in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people at Baisaran Valley.

 

The government stated that most of the misinformation has been surfacing from Pakistani social media accounts. Taking to X, PIB shared several posts debunking these fake claims.

 

1. Female Indian Air Force pilot not captured 

Contrary to viral social media posts, the government clarified that Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh has not been captured by Pakistan.

 

 

2. Indian pilot ejected over PoK 

Social media claimed that an Indian pilot ejected from a fighter jet over PoK. The government termed this fake news and urged citizens to verify before sharing.

 

 

3. S-400 defence system destroyed by Pakistan 

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh called Pakistan’s claims of destroying an Indian S-400 system and airfields in Surat and Sirsa baseless. She said these were part of a “continued malicious misinformation campaign”. 

 

4. Three IAF jets crash in the Himalayas 

Claims that three Indian Air Force jets crashed in the Himalayas were also debunked. PIB stated the image used in these claims dates back to 2016.

 

 

5. 70 per cent of India’s electricity grid disabled after cyberattack 

Several social media posts falsely claimed that a cyberattack had disabled 70 per cent of India’s electricity grid. The government categorically dismissed this as fake.

 

 

6. Delhi–Mumbai airline route temporarily closed 

While there were reports about the closure of services on the Delhi–Mumbai air route, PIB clarified that 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes in Delhi and Mumbai FIRs were temporarily closed for operational reasons, not the entire route.

 

 

7. Missile attack on Delhi airport 

A video falsely depicting a missile attack on Delhi airport was found to be from a gas station explosion in Aden, Yemen (August 2024).

 

 

8. Bhatinda airfield destroyed 

Claims about the destruction of Bhatinda airfield were also found to be false. The government confirmed the base is fully operational and undamaged.

 

   

9. Nagrota air base attacked 

A digitally altered video being circulated as footage of a Pakistani strike on the Nagrota Air Base was identified to be from October 2024, originally posted on Instagram.

 

 

The government has reiterated its appeal to the public and media to verify any sensitive information through official channels and avoid sharing unverified content that may compromise national security or create panic.