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New Delhi: India has exposed what it says is a coordinated disinformation campaign linked to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), after Pakistani social media handles circulated an AI-generated video falsely claiming that India helped Israel locate an Iranian warship.

The viral video claimed that India had shared the location of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena with Israel, allegedly enabling an attack on the ship. However, India’s official fact-checking unit said the video was digitally manipulated and designed to mislead viewers.

The clarification came from Press Information Bureau Fact Check, which flagged the clip as a deepfake being circulated by Pakistani propaganda accounts.

“Beware! This is an AI-generated deepfake video shared to mislead the public,” the unit said in a post on X, adding that the statement attributed to the Indian Army Chief was fabricated and never made.

AI-generated video misuses Army Chief’s speech

The manipulated video falsely shows Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi claiming that India informed Israel about the Iranian ship’s location once it entered international waters.

Fact-checkers said the clip was created using footage from the General’s speech at the Raisina Dialogue and then altered with AI-generated audio to construct a misleading narrative.

Investigations by independent fact-checking groups also found signs of tampering, including mismatched lip movements, unnatural phrasing and digitally generated voice overlays. In the original speech, Dwivedi made no reference to the alleged sinking of the Iranian warship or to any intelligence-sharing with Israel.

Disinformation linked to wider geopolitical tensions

The fake video surfaced amid the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has seen tensions spill beyond West Asia into the Indian Ocean.

The Iranian vessel IRIS Dena had recently participated in a multinational naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam before heading back toward Iran. Reports said the warship was later struck in international waters near Sri Lanka during the widening regional conflict.

Pakistani social media handles used the manipulated video to claim that India had betrayed Iran by providing intelligence to Israel about the ship’s movements.

Indian authorities have categorically rejected these claims, calling them “false and baseless”.

Government warns against AI-driven misinformation

Officials said the circulation of AI-manipulated content targeting official speeches reflects a deliberate attempt by malicious actors to distort facts and influence public perception.

The government also pointed to recently introduced information technology rules that require clear labelling of AI-generated content and mandate digital platforms to prevent the spread of manipulated media.

Authorities have urged the public and media organisations to verify information through credible and official sources before sharing viral content online.