India’s Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) official fact-checking handle has refuted false claims circulating on social media regarding India’s foreign policy and Defence matters. The MEA denied reports suggesting an evacuation arrangement through Fujairah port for Indian nationals in the UAE. The fact-check post clarified that no such discussions or agreements exist between India and the UAE for evacuation through Fujairah or any similar arrangement.
In response to a widely circulated news report by The Times of India, the MEA issued a “Fake News Alert” debunking the claims of an evacuation agreement between India and the UAE. The MEA emphasized that the news report was baseless and urged vigilance against false information. Officials highlighted that the circulated newspaper cutout claiming an India-UAE pact for evacuation via Fujairah port was inaccurate.
Additionally, the MEA flagged a ‘Deepfake Video Alert’ regarding an AI-generated clip falsely attributing statements to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The video, which contained misleading claims about India losing Rafale fighter jets and other issues, was dismissed as fake by the MEA. The advisory warned against the dissemination of such manipulated content and emphasized the importance of verifying information from official sources.
The Press Information Bureau’s fact-check unit, PIB Fact Check, confirmed the digital alteration of the video and cautioned against believing or sharing manipulated content. PIB Fact Check urged the public to rely on authentic government sources for accurate information and emphasized the availability of the unedited MEA briefing video to counter misinformation. Pakistan-based propaganda accounts were identified as responsible for spreading these misleading videos and headlines to tarnish India’s reputation.
Authorities reiterated their call for citizens to exercise caution, refrain from sharing unverified content, and seek information only from verified government sources to combat the spread of misinformation.
