 "Has the Indian Army’s readiness against Pakistan been leaked on social media? Here’s the truth")
Since the deadly terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead, India-Pakistan relations have plunged to a new low.
In the days that followed, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and asked Pakistan nationals to leave India. Cross-border tensions are also continuing to escalate as firing between troops has been reported almost daily along the Line of Control.
Amid this heightened atmosphere, social media has been flooded with a post revealing alleged “confidential documents” about the Indian Army’s readiness to retaliate against Pakistan. The “leaked” documents suggested a serious lapse in India’s defence preparedness.
But this couldn’t be further away from the truth.
The Indian government has firmly debunked these allegations, calling the documents “fake” and warning people not to fall for this misinformation. Here’s a closer look at what’s really going on.
What did the post claim?
The viral social media post, now debunked, attempted to paint a grim picture of the Indian Army’s readiness.
It falsely claimed that the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) headquarters had raised serious concerns about the Army’s capability, suggesting that it was fit only for small-scale tactical skirmishes and not major operations.
The fake narrative went a step further, alleging that soldier morale was at an all-time low, desertions were on the rise, and that foreign actors, specifically Israelis, were playing an “active role” in operations.
These false claims were designed to stir panic and create confusion against India’s defence forces. However, they were quickly called out.
What did PIB say?
The Press Information Bureau (PIB), the central government’s official media communication arm, issued a sharp rebuttal to the so-called circulating documents.
Under the hashtag #PIBFactCheck, it clarified that the so-called leaked files were not only fake but also part of a disinformation campaign being run by pro-Pakistani social media handles.
“This is clearly part of a conspiracy to discredit the Indian Armed Forces and create confusion among the public,” a senior official in the Ministry of Defence told IANS.
Pro-Pakistan social media accounts are falsely claiming that confidential documents related to the preparedness of the #IndianArmy have been leaked#PIBFactCheck
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 28, 2025
❌ These documents are #FAKE
✅ Please avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from… pic.twitter.com/qRGdn8vUgr
PIB urged both citizens and media organisations to refrain from sharing unverified claims and instead rely on official government channels for accurate updates.
Earlier, the government also blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for reportedly spreading “false, provocative and communally sensitive content” on India.
The YouTube channels blocked include Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama.
India has also firmly objected to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) reportage on the Pahalgam attack, which termed terrorists as militants. The Ministry of External Affairs said it will be monitoring the organisation’s reporting going ahead.
Cyber intelligence agencies are now closely watching such social media handles and content, with steps being taken to identify and counter hostile information warfare being run from across the border.
Officials have firmly said that the Indian Army is fully prepared and maintains high morale, and that any attempts to suggest otherwise are malicious attempts to destabilise trust in national defence institutions.
No, govt is not asking Rs 1 for ‘Army modernisation’
Another viral message recently made its way across WhatsApp and social media, urging people to contribute Rs 1 every day towards the “modernisation of the Indian Army” and to support soldiers who are injured or martyred in war zones.
But there’s just one problem—it’s not true.
The Ministry of Defence has flagged the message as “misleading” and clarified that no such campaign has been launched.
A WhatsApp message is going around claiming that government has opened a bank account for the modernization of the Indian Army.#PIBFactCheck
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 27, 2025
❌ This claim is MISLEADING
❌The bank account mentioned in the message is NOT meant for modernization of Indian Army or for purchase… pic.twitter.com/flm2vGe22G
According to the fact-check unit of the PIB, the government does not collect public donations for Army modernisation or for purchasing weapons.
What does exist is the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF), which is meant to offer immediate financial support to the families of soldiers who have lost their lives or sustained serious injuries during military operations.
This fund is strictly focused on the welfare of battle casualties and their families, not for upgrading equipment or funding defence procurement.
The ministry has urged people to stay alert against such scams.
With input from agencies
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