Social media has transformed diplomacy. Foreign ministries can now speak directly to millions, diplomats can respond to events in real time, and statements made in one capital can reach audiences around the world within minutes. But the same platforms have also created new venues for misinformation. Fabricated statements, manipulated videos, fake accounts and imaginary diplomatic developments can acquire the appearance of fact before governments have an opportunity to respond.
That has made fact-checking an increasingly important part of communicating foreign policy. MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) is an official X handle of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, launched in May 2025 to counter disinformation and fake news. Its interventions reveal the range of falsehoods that can surround diplomacy today—from AI-generated statements by senior officials and invented bilateral agreements to fabricated evacuation plans, false reports about Indian ships and even attempts to impersonate the Ministry itself.
1. The Foreign Minister Who Never Said It
In July 2025, a video circulated claiming that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had admitted that India had lost three Rafale fighter jets to Pakistan. The footage was based on a genuine Newsweek interview with Jaishankar, but the sentence about the Rafales had been digitally inserted. MEA FactCheck labelled the video fake and AI-generated. The original interview contained no such admission.
The case showed how an authentic diplomatic appearance can be repurposed into a completely fabricated statement, with the official’s face and voice supplying the appearance of authenticity.
2. Jaishankar Vs Iran — A War That Never Happened
In March 2026, a manipulated video appeared to show MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saying India “completely and unequivocally” stood with Israel and warning Iran against attacking Indian-bound commercial ships. MEA FactCheck identified it as an AI-generated deepfake. The genuine briefing dealt with the safety of Indian citizens and the situation in West Asia; Jaiswal had not made the statements attributed to him.
The timing made the fabrication particularly serious: the fake statement attempted to insert an invented Indian position into an ongoing regional conflict.
3. The Defence Pact That Existed Only Online
In August 2026, a social-media post claimed that India had approached Israel for a defence pact in response to the new security arrangement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The claim was attributed to Turkish media outlet Straturka and came amid intense online discussion of the newly announced Pakistan–Saudi–Turkey defence relationship. MEA FactCheck marked it “Fake Alert” and cautioned against malicious posts using AI-generated content.
The false report was notable because it invented an entire piece of strategic diplomacy, an Indian approach to Israel, in response to a genuine geopolitical development.
4. When America Was Allegedly Using Indian Ports To Attack Iran
In March 2026, a claim broadcast on the US-based One America News Network alleged that American forces were using Indian naval ports for operations against Iran. The claim was made by retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor. MEA FactCheck rejected it as “fake and false”, describing the remarks as “baseless and fabricated.”
The claim was particularly consequential because the alleged use of Indian facilities for US military operations against Iran would have carried major implications for India’s relations with both Washington and Tehran.
5. The 22 Indian Ships Iran Did Not Block
In March 2026, a viral post claimed that Iran had blocked 22 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The claim circulated amid intense concern over shipping through the strategically vital waterway during the West Asia conflict. MEA FactCheck called the claim “baseless and false” and urged people to remain alert against such posts. Government information indicated that the Indian vessels in the region were safe and accounted for.
The claim could have caused unnecessary alarm because the Strait of Hormuz is crucial to global energy supplies and Indian oil imports.
6. India’s Imaginary Evacuation Deal
In May 2026, a report claimed that India and the UAE were working on an agreement to establish an evacuation route for Indian nationals through Fujairah port. It reportedly linked the proposed arrangement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign travel. MEA FactCheck rejected the story, saying there was “no basis in fact” and that “there is no evacuation being planned.”
The clarification came amid heightened regional tensions and shortly after three Indian nationals were injured in an attack on the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone. The timing made an invented evacuation plan especially sensitive.
7. The Evacuation Flight That Never Took Off
On March 1, 2026, MEA FactCheck flagged a social-media post claiming that an evacuation flight had already left Dubai carrying diplomats and VIPs. The post also invited people to register for evacuation or contact MEA, suggesting that someone had boarded the flight with “personal help from MEA.” The Ministry called the post fake and misleading and directed people to follow official MEA, Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General in Dubai channels for updates.
Unlike an ordinary false political claim, this one could have directly affected people seeking emergency assistance.
8. India Recognises Somaliland on Social Media
In January 2026, viral posts claimed that Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi had held official talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that India was preparing to recognise Somaliland. Other posts claimed that Somalia had recalled its ambassador to India because of the supposed recognition. MEA FactCheck rejected the posts as fake and said the purported official engagement had no basis.
The episode was striking because it created an entire diplomatic sequence online: an alleged meeting, a supposed recognition decision and an alleged retaliatory move by Somalia.
9. The Ministry That Wasn’t The Ministry
In July 2026, MEA FactCheck warned about an X account operating as @MEABharat. The Ministry said the account had “absolutely no linkage” to MEA and was impersonating the Ministry, misleading the public and undermining public interest. It advised users to exercise caution. The Ministry had earlier also warned about individuals claiming to advise MEA on trade, migration and other policy matters and offering paid sessions on how to work with the Ministry.
The case illustrates a different vulnerability: on social media, even the identity and authority of a government institution can be fabricated.
10. The Ship Attack That Never Happened
In June 2026, reports circulated that the MT Liaki Freedom, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker carrying Indian crew, had been attacked off Oman and that Indian sailors had been killed. MEA FactCheck labelled the reports fake. The Ministry said it had spoken directly to the vessel’s master, who confirmed that all crew members were safe and that the reported attack was false. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India also rejected the reports.
The misinformation appeared shortly after other attacks on Indian-crewed vessels in the Gulf, making the false report particularly credible—and potentially alarming for sailors and their families.
Taken together, these cases show how the information environment around diplomacy has changed. A foreign ministry today is not only expected to announce positions and respond to events; it must also challenge fabricated versions of its own words, actions and intentions. For MEA, fact-checking has therefore become another form of public diplomacy, one in which credibility is defended not through a formal communiqué, but through a post, a screenshot and, sometimes, a simple declaration: this is fake.
