After India’s Operation Sindoor targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Pakistan’s social media unleashed a coordinated misinformation campaign using fake videos and images. A notable example involved a viral image shared by Pakistani sources claiming to show an Indian fighter jet shot down during Operation Sindoor. However, fact checkers revealed the photo was actually from a MiG-29 crash in Barmer, Rajasthan, in September 2024, caused by a technical snag during a routine training mission.
The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s fact check unit exposed multiple fabricated claims, including false reports of Pakistan shooting down Indian Rafale jets and Indian troops surrendering. One viral image purportedly showing a downed Rafale was actually from a 2021 MiG-21 crash unrelated to current events.
Videos circulated claiming Pakistan Air Force strikes on Srinagar airbase were traced back to unrelated 2024 sectarian clashes in Pakistan. Prominent Pakistani officials, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, made baseless claims of capturing Indian soldiers, which were later retracted due to lack of evidence.
Additionally, posts alleging that Pakistan destroyed an Indian Army Brigade Headquarters were debunked by PIB Fact Check as fake. Social media platforms like X saw at least 24 accounts spreading misinformation, many masquerading as Indian military personnel to sow confusion.
Independent fact checkers and journalists like Mohammed Zubair actively debunked these falsehoods, highlighting the use of old footage from Gaza, Israel, Iran and unrelated incidents to mislead audiencesDespite repeated debunking, Pakistani media outlets continued circulating discredited content in an apparent attempt to divert attention from the effectiveness of India’s precise, non-escalatory strikes on terrorist infrastructure
Following Operation Sindoor, numerous images and videos circulated claiming Pakistani retaliation were later proven to be either digitally manipulated, outdated or unrelated archival footage repurposed to fabricate a false narrative of counterattacks. Despite the lack of credible evidence, these false stories were widely promoted by several mainstream Pakistani media outlets, reflecting a coordinated effort to shape the post-strike discourse and project a retaliatory stance. The Indian government has consistently urged the public and media to depend only on verified information from official sources to avoid spreading misinformation.
