 "Fact-check: No, Pakistan didn't capture woman IAF pilot or destroy S-400 defence system")
As missiles flew and tensions soared between India and Pakistan on the night of May 8-9, another battle was brewing—this time, in the digital world, flooded with fake news and viral misinformation.
Even as official updates continued to emerge from Jammu & Kashmir, the Line of Control (LoC), and areas in Punjab, Jammu, and Rajasthan affected by Pakistan’s shelling and missile attacks, a parallel stream of misinformation began circulating widely online.
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On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Lt Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed several of these false claims during a press briefing, aiming to clear the air. The government’s fact-checking arm, PIB Fact Check, also flagged and busted several viral posts spreading false or exaggerated information.
Authorities have urged people to stay informed through official sources only, including government notices, verified helpline numbers, and confirmed relief updates. Citizens have also been advised against forwarding unverified content, especially sensitive details like troop movements, as the spread of misinformation continues online.
In this article, we break down some of the most viral false claims that have been fact-checked by the government and explain what’s really going on.
1. Fact Check: Did Pakistan destroy S-400 defence system, BrahMos base?
During a press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh firmly refuted Pakistan’s claims about destroying key Indian military assets — including the S-400 air defence system at Adampur, the BrahMos base in Nagrota, and airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa.
Calling them false narratives, Singh said these were part of a broader misinformation campaign being peddled by Pakistan online. PIB also fact-checked a supposed video showing an attack on the Nagrota base. However, it was posted on Instagram in October 2024.
Heard of attack on Nagrota Air Base❓BEWARE‼️
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 10, 2025
An old and digitally altered video is being falsely circulated as footage of a Pakistani attack on the Nagrota Air Base.#PIBFactCheck
✅ This video was originally posted on Instagram in October 2024.
🔗 Watch:… pic.twitter.com/eO0o5njfRi
She also denied Pakistan’s claims of having inflicted major damage on Indian military installations, including the Chandigarh Forward Ammunition Depot and RT gun positions at Dehrangyari.
2. Fact Check: Claims on India’s electricity grid being 70% dysfunctional
A series of viral posts on social media claimed that Pakistan had launched a cyber attack that disabled 70 per cent of India’s electricity grid.
However, PIB Fact Check has debunked this claim, confirming that no such attack took place and the claim is entirely fake.
Rumours about other critical infrastructure, including cyber systems, being compromised are also completely untrue.
3. Fact Check: Have Indian missiles hit Afghanistan?
No, they haven’t.
During a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri denied claims that Indian missiles had targeted Afghanistan or its people.
“I only want to point out that Afghan people don’t need to be reminded about which country it is that has, on multiple occasions in just the last one and a half years, targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan,” Misri said.
Inayatullah Khawarizmi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, also strongly rejected Pakistan’s claim about India’s missile attack on Afghan territory.
4. Fact Check: Claims on India targeting Nankana Sahib gurdwara, Shri Amritsar Sahib
A social media video, featuring Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu was circulating online, claiming that India has carried out a drone attack on Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan. However, the claim is false.
PIB’s Fact Check unit warned that such content is created to spread communal hatred and urged users to be cautious and not forward such videos.
सोशल मीडिया पर साझा किए गए एक वीडियो में दावा किया जा रहा है कि भारत ने ननकाना साहिब गुरुद्वारे पर ड्रोन हमला किया है। #PIBFactCheck
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 10, 2025
❌यह दावा पूरी तरह फर्जी है।
▶️ सांप्रदायिक विद्वेष फैलाने के लिए ऐसे कंटेन्ट बनाए जाते हैं।
▶️ कृपया सतर्क रहें। ऐसे वीडियो फॉरवर्ड न करें।… pic.twitter.com/59omIJx9r6
Misri also rejected similar claims by Pakistani officials that India had launched missile attacks on Shri Amritsar Sahib, calling them completely untrue.
5. Fact Check: Are services on the Mumbai-Delhi air route affected?
No, they are not.
A viral news report claimed that flight services on the busy Mumbai-Delhi air corridor had been suspended amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, and airlines were asked to reroute flights till May 14.
However, this claim has been debunked.
The Airports Authority of India clarified that there is no closure of the Mumbai-Delhi route. The temporary suspension of 25 Air Traffic Service (ATS) segments within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions has been done purely for operational reasons, not due to any geopolitical tensions.
It is being claimed that there is a temporary closure of services on Delhi-Mumbai airline route.#PIBFactCheck
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 10, 2025
❌This claim is #FAKE
💠The Airports Authority of India has extended the temporary closure of 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi &… https://t.co/8QhtFpzP73
6. Fact Check: Was a female Indian Air Force Pilot captured in Pakistan?
Various social media handles claimed that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan after she tried to jump from the jet.
However, the news is absolutely fake, as per PIB.
Indian Female Air Force pilot has NOT been captured🚨
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 10, 2025
Pro-Pakistan social media handles claim that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan.#PIBFactCheck
❌ This claim is FAKE!#IndiaFightsPropaganda@MIB_India… pic.twitter.com/V8zovpSRYk
7. Fact Check: Claims of Indian soldiers crying and abandoning their posts
A video has been doing the rounds on social media showing Indian soldiers crying and abandoning their posts as the India-Pakistan tensions rise. But the video is absolutely fake.
The truth is that the video is old footage posted on Instagram on April 27, and is not related to the Indian Army.
The video actually is from a private defence coaching institute, where students reportedly became emotional with joy upon receiving news of their successful recruitment into the Indian Army.
⚠️Old Video Alert!
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025
In an old video, it is being claimed that Indian soldiers are crying and abandoning their posts as the India-Pakistan war intensifies
#PIBFactCheck
✅ This video was posted on Instagram on April 27 and is NOT related to the Indian Army!… pic.twitter.com/wy6EzBUnab
8. Fact Check: Claims for Bhatinda airfield being destroyed
A Pakistani news handle wrote a post on X claiming that Punjab’s Bhatinda Airfield has been destroyed. However, the airfield is fully operational, and there is no damage reported.
🚨 VIRAL CLAIM ABOUT BATHINDA ON SOCIAL MEDIA! 🚨
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 10, 2025
Posts are being artificially spread, claiming that the Bhatinda Airfield has been DESTROYED! #PIBFactCheck
❌ FAKE ALERT!
✅ The Bathinda Airfield is FULLY OPERATIONAL and there is NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER.
Don't fall for… pic.twitter.com/ihjkvyRbtH
9. Fact Check: Claims of blasts at Jaipur airport
A video was going viral online claiming that explosions were heard at Rajasthan’s Jaipur Airport on Friday.
However, Jaipur’s District Collector & Magistrate office clarified that no such incident took place and the video is completely misleading.
🚨 Jaipur Airport is Safe 🚨
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025
Claims are circulating that explosions were heard at #Jaipur Airport.#PIBFactCheck
💠 These claims are FAKE
💠 Here is the clarification from the District Collector & Magistrate, Jaipur
🔗https://t.co/qqbbFgGZ7x pic.twitter.com/rijeLipwhY
10. Fact Check: Was an Indian post destroyed by Pakistan?
Videos on various social media handles falsely claimed that an Indian post had been destroyed.
However, PIB says the video is not related to any activity relating to Operation Sindoor and was in fact posted on YouTube on November 15, 2020.
🚨 Propaganda Alert!🚨
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025
Social Media post falsely claims that an Indian post has been destroyed. #PIBFactCheck
❌ The claim is #Fake
✅This video is #old and NOT related to any activity post #OperationSindoor
✅The video was originally uploaded on YouTube on 15 Nov 2020
🔗… pic.twitter.com/w4oSpwM32A
11. Fact Check: Claims of 10 explosions heard around Srinagar airport
The PIB handle has fact-checked another report from a news agency that claimed that 10 explosions were heard near Srinagar airport in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the news is false.
.@AJEnglish has claimed that there have been about 10 explosions around #Srinagar airport in J&K.
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025
#PIBFactCheck
💠This claim is #Fake
💠Rely only on official sources for authentic information. Do not fall for these false claims intended to #mislead and cause confusion.… pic.twitter.com/vRiiJfUmJg
12. Fact Check: Did a Mig-29 jet crash in Barmer?
Following Operation Sindoor, an image showing a crashed MiG-29 fighter jet in Barmer is being re-circulated by various social media handles in various forms.
However, the PIB fact-check unit flagged the image as old and clarified that the image is from an earlier incident involving the IAF aircraft that crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, in September 2024. It is not related to the current scenario.
An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being re-circulated by pro-Pakistan handles in various forms in the current context of #OperationSindoor#PIBFactcheck
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025
✔️The image is from an earlier incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29 fighter jet that crashed in… pic.twitter.com/6NJQvRH7KJ
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