Fake news alert! India debunks China Daily's report claiming Indian jet crashed in Kashmir. Here's the truth

In a recent development, China Daily has been called out for disseminating misleading information regarding Indian military operations. A tweet by the Chinese news outlet falsely claimed that at least three Indian jets had crashed in Kashmir, quoting The Hindu as the source. However, India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check has clarified that the image accompanying the tweet is not recent but from an incident dating back to 2019.

The misleading post showed a photograph of wreckage surrounded by soldiers and civilians, which, according to PIB, was recycled to falsely portray a current event. In a statement on social media, PIB Fact Check confirmed:

“A news report by @ChinaDaily falsely claims that at least three Indian jets crashed in Kashmir. The image is from an earlier incident from 2019.”

PIB also highlighted that this act appears to be part of a coordinated propaganda campaign designed to incite panic and mislead the public. To substantiate their claim, PIB shared a link to a 2019 report by Al Jazeera covering the original incident.

This incident underscores the growing concerns around misinformation and the need for vigilance in verifying claims, especially those related to sensitive defence matters. India continues to actively counter such propaganda through official fact-checking channels.

In similar news on Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Beijing criticised China’s state-run Global Times for spreading incorrect details about Operation Sindoor, urging the publication to fact-check and verify its sources thoroughly.

Taking to X, the Indian Embassy posted: “Dear @globaltimesnews, we advise you to fact-check and verify your sources before circulating such misinformation.”

The embassy’s remarks came after Global Times published a claim that the Pakistani Air Force had downed another Indian fighter jet earlier that day. Citing Pakistani military sources, the report alleged: “The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has shot down another Indian fighter jet in retaliation for India’s overnight airstrikes at several sites in Pakistan.”