New Delhi: Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally altered video of Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on social media. These accounts falsely claimed that Dwivedi suggested handing over Arunachal Pradesh to China to stop Beijing’s support to Pakistan and admitted that Chinese technology had destroyed Rafale jets during India Pakistan tensions.
The government’s fact-check unit on Thursday, November 27, clarified that the clip is fabricated and warned citizens against sharing unverified material.
Have a look at the distinction here:
PIB Calls Viral Clip an 'AI-Generated Fake'
According to PIB Fact-Check, the circulating footage is an AI-generated deepfake created to spread misinformation and undermine trust in the Indian Armed Forces. “The Chief of the Army Staff has made no such statement,” the unit said, adding that users should rely only on official sources. It also flagged that the clip had been pushed by several Pakistani handles attempting to influence discourse around India China and India Pakistan relations.
The fake video overlays fabricated audio onto authentic footage from General Dwivedi’s speech at the commissioning ceremony of INS Mahe at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on November 24. In the doctored version, the dubbed audio claims India should consider giving Arunachal Pradesh to China to maintain peace on the northern borders and alleges that Rafale jets were downed due to Chinese technology. PIB has said that these assertions are entirely false.
Authentic Footage Shows General Dwivedi Praising Indigenous Naval Capability
The original, unedited video features General Dwivedi speaking about India’s progress in warship design and indigenous shipbuilding. In the segment misused for the deepfake, he says, “It is a moment of immense pride and a profound sense of honour to be present at the commissioning ceremony of INS Mahe... India is now capable of designing and building complex and modern warships on its own.”
The speech focuses on self reliance, professionalism and the Navy’s transformation into what he described as a Builders’ Navy.
Authorities have urged the public to watch the original video and remain cautious of manipulated content, adding that discrepancies in lip-sync and tone indicate that the viral audio is manufactured. The fact-check unit has reiterated that the claims circulating online have no basis and should not be amplified.
