 "People holding national flags rally in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor'. AP/File Photo")
A string of misinformation and false claims has flooded social media as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate.
While official updates continue to come in from Jammu & Kashmir, the Line of Control, and areas affected by Pakistan’s shelling and attacks in Punjab, Jammu and Rajasthan, a large amount of fake news is also being shared online.
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The Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking team, PIB Fact Check, has stepped in to identify and verify misleading content being circulated across social and mainstream platforms.
According to PIB, the disinformation campaign is part of a psychological tactic, and social media users are at risk of being misled.
The government has advised the public to rely only on official notices, helpline numbers, and confirmed relief updates. People have also been asked not to forward unverified posts or details about troop movements, as false claims continue to flood social media.
 "‘Fake news, old images’: PIB fact-checks claims that Pakistan downed India’s Rafale aircraft")
 "From downed jets to civilian deaths: Debunking Pakistan’s misinformation on Operation Sindoor")
In this story, we spotlight and explain some of the claims circulating online that have been debunked by PIB, while also providing evidence.
Let’s take a look:
1. Fact Check: China Daily report on crash of 3 Indian jets in Kashmir
A report by China Daily claimed that three Indian jets crashed in Kashmir.
But the PIB’s fact-checking team looked into the claim and clarified that the image used was from a past incident in 2019.
To support this, PIB shared a link to a 2019 post by Al Jazeera on ‘X’ that carried the same image.
2. Fact Check: Is NSA Ajit Doval on Facebook?
A post is doing the rounds online claiming to be a “statement” from National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, suggesting “Pakistan is preparing for a cyber attack.”
PIB Fact Check has flagged the post as fake and said the account is not genuine. It added that Ajit Doval does not have an official presence on Facebook.
“Citizens are advised to exercise caution and not engage with any impostor or fake profiles claiming to represent them,” the agency stated.
3. Fact Check: Was an Indian Sukhoi Su-30MKI shot down in PoK’s Muzaffarabad?
Some Pakistani social media accounts have posted that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI of the Indian Air Force was shot down in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Muzaffarabad, and that the pilot was captured.
PIB has denied this claim and said the image being shared is actually from a crash that took place on October 14, 2014, in Undre Vasti of Kulwadi village, located along the Pune–Ahmednagar highway in Maharashtra.
A news article using the same image was also shared to clarify.
4. Fact Check: Claims regarding MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems) barrage by Pakistan on India
A video clip showing a heavy barrage from Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) is being falsely claimed as footage of a Pakistani strike on India, the agency said.
PIB has confirmed that the clip is from a video game and has been available online for over three years.
It has nothing to do with the present India-Pakistan situation.
The agency also posted a link to the video game for reference.
5. Fact Check: Are ATMs shutting down for 2-3 days?
A message going viral on WhatsApp says ATMs will shut for two to three days due to a “cyber-attack by Pakistan.”
The government’s fact-checking team has dismissed this message as false.
PIB Fact Check said all banking services are running as usual and asked people not to spread messages that are not verified.
6. Fact Check: Explosion at Jammu Air Force Base?
Photos being shared online claimed to show several blasts at the Jammu Air Force Base.
PIB Fact Check reviewed the images and confirmed that they were not recent. They are actually from the Kabul Airport explosion in August 2021.
A link to a news article on the Kabul blast was also shared by the agency.
7. Fact Check: Was Gujarat’s Hazira Port attacked by Pakistan?
A video being circulated on social media claimed that Pakistan attacked Hazira Port in Gujarat.
PIB Fact Check has dismissed the claim and explained that the video shows a different incident. It features an oil tanker explosion from July 7, 2021.
The actual video is from Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, and the agency shared a news link confirming the same.
8. Fact Check: Drone strike in Punjab’s Jalandhar?
A video going viral online claimed to be of a drone attack in Jalandhar.
But PIB Fact Check clarified that it is not related to any drone activity. The clip actually shows a fire on a farm.
The agency also added that the time on the video shows 7:39 PM, which was before the drone attack began on May 8.
9. Fact Check: Pakistani handles claim Indian Army post was destroyed
Several social media accounts from Pakistan claimed that the Pakistani Army had destroyed an Indian post.
PIB Fact Check looked into the matter and said the video used in the post is fake. There is no unit in the Indian Army called the “20 Raj Battalion.”
“This is part of a coordinated propaganda campaign aimed at creating panic and misleading the public,” the agency said.
10. Fact Check: Did Pakistan fire missiles at India?
A video shared online claimed that Pakistan launched a missile strike on India in retaliation.
PIB Fact Check said the video has nothing to do with India. It is from the 2020 explosion that happened in Beirut, Lebanon.
To confirm, the agency also shared a video link from four years ago showing the same blast.
11. Fact Check: Are airports across India banned?
A claim spreading on social media says people are no longer allowed to enter airports across the country.
PIB Fact Check said this is not true. The government has not placed any such restriction.
The claim is false.
12. Fact Check: Claims regarding ‘Fidayeen’ attack on Army brigade in Rajouri
Posts circulating on social media claimed that a ‘fidayeen’ attack took place on an Army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.
However, PIB Fact Check looked into the claim and confirmed that no such suicide attack happened at any army cantonment.
It said the claim was a deliberate attempt to spread confusion and mislead people.
13. Fact Check: Chief of the Army Staff’s ‘letter’ on military readiness
A letter doing the rounds on social media claimed that “Chief of the Army Staff Gen V.K. Narayan” had sent a confidential letter about military readiness to an officer in the Northern Command.
PIB Fact Check verified the post and said that General Narayan is not the current Chief of the Army Staff. The letter is entirely fake.
“Rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information,” the agency advised.
14. Fact Check: Claims about Indian military using Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar
Social media posts claimed that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar city and Indian citizens.
PIB Fact Check clarified that these claims are entirely baseless and part of a larger misinformation effort.
The agency also issued a detailed press release from the Ministry of Defence to provide clarity.
15. Fact Check: Did India target Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan?
A social media post spread a claim that India had targeted the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan.
However, PIB Fact Check confirmed that the claim is unfounded. It also pointed out that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had clarified in a press conference that India only targeted terrorist infrastructure.
16. Fact Check: Did a Pakistani missile hit India’s S-400 air defence system?
Several social media accounts in Pakistan shared images claiming a Pakistani missile had struck India’s S-400 air defence system, “Sudarshan Chakra.”
PIB Fact Check clarified that the image circulating is from 2023 and shows a fire at a military site in Moscow.
The agency provided a link to the image from the incident that occurred two years ago.
17. Fact Check: Did Pakistan Army strike posts in Jammu & Kashmir’s Battal Sector?
A video shared by Pakistan-based accounts claimed that the Pakistan Army had attacked posts in the Battal Sector of Jammu & Kashmir, killing at least 12 Indian soldiers.
PIB Fact Check confirmed that the video was old and unrelated to any activities after ‘Operation Sindoor’. The image is from August 2011 and was also used in a 2016 news report.
18. Fact Check: Did Pakistan attack an Indian military colony?
A video circulating on social media claimed that a Pakistani attack had targeted an Indian military colony.
PIB Fact Check debunked this, clarifying that the video was actually from Indonesia, dated May 6, 2025, and was filmed before Operation Sindoor.
19. Fact Check: Did Pakistan shoot down Indian Rafale jets?
Pakistani social media accounts shared visuals, claiming the video showed Pakistan shooting down Indian Rafale jets.
PIB Fact Check revealed that the video was from 2019 and involved an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 V5 helicopter that crashed near Budgam, J&K.
20. Fact Check: Did Pakistan intercept an Indian drone in Gujranwala?
Pakistan-based accounts circulated images claiming that the Pakistan Army intercepted an Indian UAV drone that fell in Gujranwala.
PIB Fact Check clarified that the images were from the Ukraine-Russia conflict in 2022.
It also shared a link to a news report confirming this information.
21. Fact Check: Did Pakistan carry out strikes on a military base in Amritsar?
Pakistan-based accounts shared videos alleging that Pakistan had struck a military base in Amritsar.
However, PIB Fact Check debunked the claim, stating that the video was from 2024.
The agency urged people to avoid sharing unverified information and to rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate updates.