The Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking unit has dismissed as “misleading” a social media post claiming that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated India had informed Pakistan about planned strikes on terrorist infrastructure before the start of “Operation Sindoor.”
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has flagged a social media post claiming that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated India had informed Pakistan about planned strikes on terrorist infrastructure before the start of “Operation Sindoor.” In a tweet shared by a user, the minister was quoted as saying India expected Pakistan to understand the nature of the operation but faced retaliation instead. However, the PIB’s fact-check unit has categorically dismissed this claim, marking the post as “misleading” and clarifying that the minister never made such a statement. It urged social media users to remain vigilant against deceptive information and avoid spreading unverified claims.
The post, which included a speculative interpretation of India’s military strategy, falsely suggested that New Delhi communicated with Islamabad before the operation, a move that would be highly unusual in the context of cross-border counter-terrorism actions.
Last week, India dismissed multiple claims on Pakistan social media about ‘Operation Sindoor’, saying the neighbouring country had unleashed a “full-blown disinformation offensive” with “lies” and digital theatrics to control the narrative. A series of posts by the Press Information Bureau’s Fact-Checking Unit said pro-Pakistan social media handles were sharing old photos of crashes of IAF aircraft and claiming they were shot down by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor last Wednesday, May 7.
“Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context,” PIB FactCheck said in a post on X. “The video being shared is from February 2025 and depicts the crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 aircraft near Shivpuri, Gwalior, which occurred during a routine training mission,” it said, referring to social media posts by pro-Pakistan handles about a fighter jet clash.
“Following India’s decisive strike under ‘Operation Sindoor’, Pakistan has unleashed a full-blown disinformation offensive — a desperate attempt to shift the focus and control the narrative with a barrage of lies and digital theatrics,” officials said.
They said that pro-Pakistan social media handles and even influential political figures are deliberately spreading fake news, fabricating stories of miraculous military victories and heroic retaliation that simply do not exist.
“Their goal is clear — to flood the information space with falsehoods so quickly and overwhelmingly that it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction. This is not just misinformation; it is a calculated, coordinated campaign designed to distort reality, mislead the public, and manipulate perceptions across the region,” they said.
(With PTI inputs)
