Govt warns of deepfake video of former Army Chief circulated online with misleading claims

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit on Monday issued a warning about an AI-generated deepfake video of former Chief of Army Staff, Manoj Pande, being circulated online by Pakistani propaganda accounts with misleading claims about the Indian Army.

In a statement, the PIB Fact Check unit said the manipulated video falsely portrays Gen. Manoj Pande (Retd.) making controversial remarks regarding the functioning and conduct of the Indian Army.

“Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally manipulated video, falsely showing the former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Manoj Pande (Retd.), making false statements regarding the Indian Army. Beware! This is an AI-generated deepfake video,” the PIB Fact Check stated, clarifying that the former Army chief has not made any such statement.

It further cautioned that such digitally altered content is being spread as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at misleading the public and undermining trust in the Indian Armed Forces. The agency urged citizens to verify information from official and credible sources before sharing it on social media platforms.

“Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating such manipulated videos as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign to mislead the public and undermine trust in Indian Armed Forces,” it added.

In the manipulated clip circulating online, the former Army chief appears to make remarks alleging that supporting Israel has caused losses to the Indian Army and that soldiers are being forced to become an “ethnic force.” The video also falsely claims that Israeli instructors are training Indian Army personnel to dehumanise certain communities and that the situation could lead to a revolt within the forces.

However, the PIB clarified that the remarks in the viral clip have been digitally fabricated. In the original video, Manoj Pande can be heard speaking about the need for the armed forces to remain prepared for future security challenges.

“We live in a complex world. We should not only be able to deal with the current security challenges but also anticipate the future. Once you anticipate, you must prepare accordingly and develop the capabilities required to effectively fight future wars. The armed forces have to be future-ready,” he said in the authentic video.

The PIB reiterated that such manipulated content is part of attempts to spread misinformation online and advised the public to remain cautious while consuming and sharing sensitive information related to national security.

Earlier on March 10, the PIB Fact Check unit dismissed as fake a viral claim on social media that India had shared the location of an Iranian naval ship with Israel, reportedly based on an AI-generated video of Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi that was widely circulated by Pakistani propaganda accounts and later amplified by a Turkish newspaper.

According to PIB Fact Check, the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak cited the manipulated video and claimed that India had admitted to sharing the location of an Iranian ship with Israel. However, the government’s fact-checking unit clarified that the claim was completely false and misleading.

–IANS

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