India Denies Supporting Baloch Militants After Viral Hoax

Social media platforms lit up this week with a false story claiming that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had publicly backed the Balochistan Liberation Army. The narrative was pushed aggressively by accounts known for anti-India propaganda. Within hours, official fact-checkers moved to shut down the rumour. The PIB Fact Check unit confirmed that no such statement was ever made by the minister. The agency labelled the claim as baseless and warned users against amplifying content from accounts that repeatedly spread disinformation. It also reminded the public of the importance of checking sources before sharing sensitive political or security-related posts. The episode mirrors another recent attempt at misinformation when edited clips of a senior naval officer were circulated to suggest Pakistan had struck Indian air assets. That video was later identified as a deepfake created using artificial intelligence. Both incidents highlight the growing use of sophisticated digital tools to wage information warfare. Government agencies continue to maintain dedicated channels for reporting fake news. Citizens can forward questionable content to the official fact-check number or email address. Regular advisories are being issued to help people distinguish between credible reporting and deliberate falsehoods.