The Government of India has firmly refuted multiple false claims being circulated on social media, including allegations of a drone attack in Jalandhar and the destruction of an Indian Army post that, according to officials, does not even exist. These clarifications have come amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, which escalated following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. In response to that incident, India launched a retaliatory military operation named ‘Operation Sindoor’.

On Friday, May 9, the Centre released a detailed report exposing seven instances of disinformation that had been shared between 10:00 pm on May 8 and 6:30 pm on May 9. The government's fact-checking unit reviewed various widely circulated videos and claims that appeared to originate from Pakistani social media accounts and were further spread by certain Indian media channels.

According to the report, these misleading claims were primarily designed to distort public perception of India’s military actions and preparedness. For instance, a video that was shared online, supposedly showing a drone strike in Jalandhar, was confirmed to be unrelated and actually depicted a fire at a farm. Similarly, reports of a fidayeen-style terrorist attack in Rajouri were found to be completely baseless, as no such incident took place.

Another claim suggested that an Indian Army post had been destroyed by a unit identified as the '20 Raj Battalion.' However, the authorities confirmed that this battalion does not exist and the video associated with this claim was fabricated. In addition, allegations that the Indian military had targeted civilians from the Ambala Airbase were dismissed as entirely unfounded.

The report also pointed out that a video circulating online, supposedly showing a Pakistani missile attack on Indian territory, was actually footage from the 2020 Beirut explosion. Claims that airports had imposed entry restrictions were also proven false, as were rumors surrounding a supposed confidential letter signed by a fictitious military officer named ‘Gen VK Narayan.’ To counter these misleading narratives, the government has provided verified fact-checking resources and has appealed to citizens and media professionals to verify any sensitive information through official channels before sharing it further.

Meanwhile, as part of its counter-terrorism efforts, India executed a military operation known as ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7. During this operation, Indian Air Force fighter jets carried out precision airstrikes lasting 23 minutes on nine specific targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These sites were reportedly linked to terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The strikes were carried out using Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs, hitting locations in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Muzaffarabad. In response, the government of Pakistan condemned the airstrikes, further intensifying the already strained relations between the two countries.