New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) A digitally manipulated video falsely portraying the Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, as admitting to the loss of six fighter jets and one Heron UAV during the May 7 air engagements has been officially debunked by the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit on Monday.

The video, which circulated widely on social media platforms, was confirmed to be an AI-generated deep-fake.

It falsely claimed that the Air Chief Marshal acknowledged significant Indian losses during Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory air campaign following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

In reality, Air Chief Marshal Singh made no such statement.

In his verified public address at the 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru on August 9, Air Chief Marshal Singh detailed India’s successful air operations, confirming that the IAF had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one large airborne surveillance aircraft — possibly an AWACS or ELINT platform — at a distance of 300 km.

He described it as “the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill” by India.

The full, unedited speech is available on YouTube, where Air Chief Marshal Singh can be seen discussing the strategic use of India’s S-400 air defence system, precision strikes on Pakistani command centres in Muridke and Chaklala, and the destruction of radar sites and hangars housing F-16s.

At no point does he mention any loss of Indian jets or UAVs.

PIB Fact Check has categorically said that the viral clip is fabricated and part of a broader misinformation campaign by pro-Pakistan social media accounts.

The agency urged citizens to rely on verified government sources and refrain from sharing unverified content that could compromise national security narratives.

The top IAF officer told the gathering about the plan, war tactics and targets which India destroyed in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in detail through a powerpoint presentation with satellite images to support his statements.

The deep-fake video underscores the growing threat of AI-generated disinformation in defence and strategic domains, prompting renewed calls for digital vigilance and media literacy.

–IANS

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