Fact Check: Viral videos from Gaza, Mumbai and Ukraine flood social media amid Pakistan-India tensions

As India launched a military offensive against Pakistan, a wave of misinformation swept across social media platforms. Numerous fabricated and unrelated videos were widely circulated by users in both countries, prompting serious concerns about the potential consequences of disinformation during a time of heightened tensions.

A major concern is that these videos were shared by thousands of users and garnered millions of views.

 Video falsely claims capture of Indian officer 

One widely shared video on Wednesday falsely claimed to show an Indian army officer captured by locals after his aircraft allegedly crashed in Pakistani territory.

However, the footage was actually from February 6, 2025, when an Indian Air Force helicopter crashed in Dehreta Sani village, located in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. In that incident, the chopper was completely destroyed, although the two pilots survived.

Fake video of Silakot attack

Another misleading clip circulated on Indian social media, claimed to show an attack on Sialkot. In reality, the video depicted an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. The same visuals were previously used to report a massive fire in Mumbai's Dharavi area on March 24, 2025.

Fake Rafale jet video

 A video purportedly showing a Rafale fighter jet being shot down in Pakistan by a Chinese-made PL-15 missile is also misleading. The footage actually shows a IAF MiG-21 fighter jet near Langeana Khurd village of Moga district in Punjab that crashed in May 2021.

Read: PAF brings down five Indian jets in retaliatory action against Indian air strikes

While it is officially confirmed that Pakistan shot down three Indian Rafale jets, the circulation of unrelated visuals undermines the credibility of this significant military achievement.

In another case of misinformation, users shared video game simulations claiming real-life military successes, with individuals from both Pakistan and India taking credit for fabricated victories. These videos, however, were confirmed to be from popular gaming content unrelated to either country’s current conflict.

Video from Ukrain used as visuals of Indian drone crash in Lahore

A separate viral video showed an Indian drone allegedly crashing in Lahore but it was later identified as footage from a drone incident in Ukraine on April 30.

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, experts urge the public to exercise caution before sharing unverified content online. Spreading false or misattributed media not only fuels panic but can also have serious diplomatic and security repercussions.