India-Pakistan Tension Fact Check: PIB Busts Wave Of Fake News Amid Conflict
The Press Information Bureau has appealed to the public not to spread panic and to verify information with any announcement by government agencies before circulating it on social media.
Tensions between India and Pakistan intensified on the night of May 8 and 9, with reports streaming in from Jammu & Kashmir, the Line of Control, Rajasthan and various regions in north India on heavy Pakistani shelling. Meanwhile, social media has seen a surge of misinformation and fabricated content amid the escalating tension between the neighbouring countries, following India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7.
The Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking team has been actively countering false narratives circulating on various platforms, posting clarifications on X.
Here’s a look at the spate of fake news busted by PIB Fact Check, while appealing to public to only believe in information from government agencies.
Series Of Fake News Busted By PIB Fact Check
Jalandhar Drone Strike
A viral video on Thursday claimed to depict the aftermath of a drone strike in Jalandhar. However, PIB Fact Check promptly refuted this claim, explaining that the footage actually shows a farm fire. A crucial clue, the bureau pointed out, was visible in the video itself: a timestamp reading 7:39 p.m., predating the confirmed drone activity in the area.
In a post on X, PIB stated, “Drone attack in Jalandhar. This drone strike video from #Jalandhar is widely circulating on social media#PIBFactCheck. This is an unrelated video of a farm fire. The video has the time 7:39 p.m., while the drone attack began later."
Missile Attack By Pakistan
Another misleading video circulating online purportedly showed a missile attack by Pakistan on India. PIB identified the footage as being from the catastrophic explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, back in 2020.
Hazira Port Attack
A separate clip falsely claimed an attack had taken place at Hazira Port in Gujarat. PIB debunked this assertion, clarifying that the video was of an oil tanker explosion that occurred in July 2021, and unrelated to any recent incidents at the port.
Pakistan Army Intercepts Indian UAV
Meanwhile, a Pakistan-based social media account shared an old photograph, alleging that the Pakistan Army had intercepted an Indian UAV. The PIB team traced the image back to the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.
Fidayeen Attack In Rajouri
Further misinformation emerged with claims of a “fidayeen” or suicide attack targeting an army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. PIB categorically denied this, stating that no such attack had taken place at any army cantonment.
PIB Busts Fake News Spread By Pakistani Social Media Handles
The PIB Fact Check team has successfully debunked a series of false claims of Pakistani attacks on the Indian Armed Forces. These fake videos were mostly spread by Pakistani social media handles.
In a video, old footage was circulated by Pakistani handles, falsely alleging an explosion at the Udhampur Air Force Station in Jammu. PIB confirmed the video had no connection to current events.
A video claiming that Pakistani forces had launched strikes on Indian posts in the Battal Sector was also exposed as outdated and unrelated to any operations following Operation Sindoor.
Another fabricated video circulated by Pakistani accounts alleged that an Indian post had been destroyed by Pakistani forces. PIB dismissed the claim as entirely false and highlighted that the video was staged. The fact-checking body noted, “There is no unit called ‘20 Raj Battalion’ in the Indian Army.”
Pakistani social media accounts also revived old footage from 2019, showing an Indian Air Force helicopter crash near Budgam, presenting it as a recent incident.
A video allegedly depicting a Pakistani attack on an Indian military colony was found to be from Indonesia, dated May 6, 2025, before Operation Sindoor was even launched.
Another misleading image circulating online claimed a Pakistani missile had struck an Indian S-400 air defence system. PIB clarified that the image was actually from a fire at a military site in Moscow in 2023.
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A supposed confidential letter, attributed to Chief of Army Staff General VK Narayan and allegedly sent to a Northern Command officer regarding military preparedness, was also flagged as fake.
In another instance, a social media post claimed that India’s military used the Ambala airbase to attack Amritsar and its own citizens. The Ministry of Defence dismissed the claim as baseless and released a detailed statement clarifying the facts.
False claims also surfaced alleging that India had targeted Pakistan’s Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. PIB refuted these claims, citing India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s statement that India had only targeted terrorist infrastructure.
Additionally, old videos were recirculated by Pakistani accounts, falsely suggesting that strikes had taken place on a military base in Amritsar.
In light of the surge in misinformation, PIB issued an advisory warning that social media platforms would likely see an influx of Pakistan-backed propaganda in the coming days. It urged the public to critically assess content, especially those involving the Indian Armed Forces or the ongoing conflict and to report dubious material to #PIBFactCheck through WhatsApp on +91 8799711259 or email to factcheck@pib.gov.in.
Amid rising tensions, even the public needs to remain vigilant and verify information based on the announcements made by the government agencies and PIB before sharing it online. It will be helpful to curb the spread of misinformation.
Check latest updates on the India-Pakistan tensions here.
