Stay vigilant: Old videos, false claims and misinformation flood social media after Indian retaliation

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, in which India targeted nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), social media is currently witnessing an overflow of handles circulating misinformation and doctored content.

One such video, widely shared on social media, claims that the Pakistan Air Force struck the Srinagar airbase. However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check clarified that the video is neither recent nor from India.

According to a post on X, the footage is from sectarian clashes that occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in 2024. The PIB also urged the public to rely on official Government of India sources for verified information.

Additionally, an old image of a crashed aircraft is being circulated in the context of Operation Sindoor to imply Indian losses. The image in question originally dates back to September 2024, when a MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, PIB stated in another post.

Another piece of misinformation involves a fabricated advisory claiming that the Indian government has urged citizens to stock up on essentials and take precautionary measures. PIB has labelled this advisory as fake, confirming that no such directive has been issued.

These misinformation attempts come in the wake of Operation Sindoor. Since then, a large-scale online disinformation campaign has surfaced, targeting India and its armed forces with the intent to sow confusion and lower public morale.