AI-Generated Deepfake Video Targets Indian Army Chief
AI-generated deepfake videos depicting Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi making false statements about Operation Sindoor and India's military capabilities were spread by Pakistani propaganda accounts on social media. Indian fact-checking authorities confirmed the videos were artificially manipulated and alerted the public.
What happened
Multiple deepfake videos of Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi were created using AI and spread on social media by Pakistani propaganda accounts. One video falsely showed Dwivedi in a tense discussion with a Zee News journalist claiming that United States President Donald Trump restricted India's response against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Another video falsely attributed a statement to Dwivedi claiming it would take India at least 50 years to reach the same technology used by Pakistan and China in Operation Sindoor.
Reported impact
The deepfake videos were designed to mislead the public and spread misinformation about Indian military operations and capabilities. The videos spread across social media platforms, requiring official fact-checking intervention to alert the public.
Index analysis
AI detection tools, including Deepfake-O-Meter, confirmed the videos were artificially manipulated. Fact-checkers identified mismatches between spoken words and lip movements, and traced frames to original source material from India Today's YouTube channel from 13 January 2026 where no such conversation occurred.
Governance controls
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit identified and exposed the deepfake videos, issuing a public alert. PIB Fact Check provided screenshots of the propaganda accounts sharing the fake video and urged users to report dubious content, providing a contact number (+91 8799711259) and email (factcheck@pib.gov.in) for reporting.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.