Govt debunks Pakistan-linked deepfake campaign targeting Jaishankar

The PIB Fact Check unit has flagged a deepfake video of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as part of a wider Pakistan-linked misinformation campaign during the West Asia crisis.

As tensions escalate in West Asia, India is confronting a surge in online misinformation campaigns largely traced to Pakistan-based social media accounts, with authorities warning that coordinated propaganda using AI-generated deepfakes and edited videos is increasingly targeting the country’s political leadership, armed forces and diplomatic positions.

Government fact-checking agencies say the activity has intensified in recent days, coinciding with heightened geopolitical tensions in the region. Officials view the trend as part of a broader information warfare effort aimed at shaping narratives about India’s position on the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The Press Information Bureau Fact Check unit recently flagged a digitally manipulated video of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that circulated widely online.

The clip falsely claimed that the minister had said India would not tolerate Muslim countries “harassing Israel” and also alleged that Israel had provided $3 billion to the Afghan Taliban at India’s request. The PIB clarified that the video was fabricated and that the minister had made no such statements.

In a post on social media on March 10, the PIB Fact Check unit said, “Pakistani propaganda accounts are sharing a digitally manipulated video of the External Affairs Minister with false claims alleging that he said India would not tolerate Muslim countries harassing Israel and that Israel recently granted $3 billion to the Taliban at India’s request.”

Officials say the incident is part of a wider pattern of misinformation campaigns that seek to misrepresent India’s diplomatic stance and influence public opinion during periods of international tension.