China, Pak psyop against Indians? Spurt in fake news amid LAC face-off reports

Amid reports of face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops at multiple points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, old videos and misleading visuals and commentary are being circulated on social media, fuelling claims of Chinese incursions and military setbacks for India. The Indian Army's official fact-checking account on X has been busy busting fake news for the last couple of days.These misleading posts have emerged against the backdrop of renewed military friction along the LAC, which is not demarcated mutually by India and China, leading to differing perceptions of the boundary.On October 22, Director General Shatrujeet Kapoor of the Indian-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said Indian and Chinese troops had faced-off in multiple locations along the LAC since at least July. Reports had emerged that Chinese troops had been denying Indian forces access to key patrolling points along the LAC in the Taksing area.It is against this backdrop of ongoing tensions that misleading posts have emerged on X. It is not yet known whether these are part of a coordinated disinformation or psychological operation (psyop) directed by Beijing. But given China's well-developed cognitive warfare capabilities and its history of alleged disinformation campaigns, the posts warrant caution. The Indian Army's official fact-checking account has called out certain posts as Pakistan-linked. OLD VIDEOS AND FOOTAGE BEING REPACKAGEDIn one prominent post, a digitally altered video falsely attributes remarks to Lt Gen Girish Kalia, claiming China has taken control of Asaphila, Longju and Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh and blocked supplies to Indian troops.According to an October 25 fact-check by the Indian Army's official fact-checking account on X, the original footage is from an October 27, 2023, briefing by then Maj Gen Kalia in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, about foiled infiltration attempts and the recovery of weapons and narcotics. He made no such claims about Arunachal Pradesh. Detect the Deepfake A digitally altered video is being circulated with fabricated remarks attributed to Lt Gen Girish Kalia, claiming that China has taken control of Asaphila, Longjou and Taksing Circle in Arunachal Pradesh and that the Indian Army has been denied essential supplies. The misleading video attempts to portray fabricated statements as a leaked admission by a senior Indian Army officer. The video uses #SyntheticGeneratedInformation to falsely attribute remarks to Lt Gen Girish Kalia. The original footage relates to a press briefing delivered by then GOC 28 Infantry Division, Maj Gen Girish Kalia, in Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir, on 27 October 2023. He addressed infiltration attempts across the Line of Control, reporting 10 foiled attempts, the elimination of 27 terrorists and the recovery of warlike stores and narcotics. He made no such statements about Chinese control over Arunachal Pradesh or denial of supplies to the Indian Army. Original Statement : https://t.co/7vQf7VjJHd Disinformation Pattern: Old military briefing + Digitally manipulated remarks + False attribution + Fabricated territorial claims = Misleading military disinformation. Verify the original speech before amplifying manipulated videos. #FactCheck #DetectTheDeepfake #IndianArmy #ArunachalPradesh #FakeNews @adgpi @easterncomd @Spearcorps @PIBFactCheck @GoI_MeitY @SpokespersonMoD— INDIAN ARMY FACT CHECK (@MythbusterXX) October 25, 2026A recently uploaded video claimed to show Chinese soldiers frisking Indian troops in Arunachal Pradesh. India Today's Fact-Check unit on October 25 established that the footage was actually from Devanahalli, near Bengaluru in Karnataka, where Indian forces had conducted a drill.The investigation traced a longer version of the clip to a YouTube upload from May 15. A shopkeeper whose establishment appeared in the footage confirmed that he had recorded it in Devanahalli. It depicted an Indian Army drill, not a confrontation with Chinese troops.The video was subsequently shared with a misleading caption claiming that Chinese soldiers were searching Indian personnel in Arunachal Pradesh and that Indian troops needed Chinese permission to move through Indian territory.In another instance, Pakistan-linked propaganda accounts circulated a false claim that an Indian Army soldier had been shot in the head by an unknown gunman in Ladakh. According to a October 24 post by the Indian Army's fact-checking account, "The claim is false. No such incident has taken place. The circulated image appears to show Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel and does not establish the claimed shooting."The fact-checking account on October 24 also flagged several Pakistan-linked accounts for using footage of protests held in Arunachal Pradesh on October 23 against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. The posts allegedly misrepresented the demonstrations as an "anti-Indian Army uprising".Trace the Truth Pak based social media accounts are circulating a video falsely claiming that Chinese soldiers are searching Indian Army personnel inside Arunachal Pradesh and that Indian troops must obtain permission from Chinese forces to move through the state. The actual video is of a counter-terrorism mock drill conducted in Bengaluru, Karnataka, in May 2026, not Chinese soldiers checking Indian Army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh. Disinformation Pattern: Old counter-terrorism mock drill + False Chinese military identification + Fabricated Arunachal Pradesh location = Misleading border security narrative. Do not confuse a security exercise with an actual military confrontation. Verify the original source, location and context before sharing. #IndianArmy #ArunachalPradesh #IndiaChinaBorder #CognitiveCitizen #FactCheckIndia @adgpi @easterncomd @PIBFactCheck @GoI_MeitY @SpokespersonMoD— INDIAN ARMY FACT CHECK (@MythbusterXX) October 25, 2026IT MINISTRY FLAGS COORDINATED SOCIAL-MEDIA PROPAGANDAThe Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on October 26, also flagged a coordinated social media campaign falsely claiming that Chinese vehicles had entered Indian territory without authorisation.A video showing Chinese commercial vehicles near Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, a designated India-China border, was deliberately spun in a series of posts to portray the movement as a Chinese intrusion. The posts also alleged that mainstream Indian media was concealing the incident.According to the MeitY, the video in question is actually from a trade point where commercial vehicle movement is permitted under established bilateral arrangements. MeitY identified 12 social media handles that shared the content between 8.26 am and 12.56 pm on October 26.Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour Exposed Social media accounts are circulating a video showing Chinese vehicles near the India-China border, falsely portraying it as an unauthorised entry of Chinese vehicles into Indian territory. The misleading caption further alleges that mainstream Indian media is deliberately concealing the incident. The original footage is of the JAC-branded Chinese commercial vehicles at Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, a designated India-China border trade point. The movement of commercial vehicles at an authorised border trade route is being misrepresented as evidence of a Chinese military intrusion. Trade at Nathu La operates under established bilateral agreements, designated trading facilities and regulated procedures. @GoI_MeitY: The following 12 handles have been identified as circulating the same content between 0826 hrs and 1256 hrs on 26 October 2026: @VarisRajput01, @RituChoudhryINC, @AsdhirDubey, @imharshchhikara, @SunilYadav990, @ANKITVERMA90648, @Ravipandey4AAP, @rastrijans19021, @Pradeep_JAAT_00, @fahad_4884_, @vikrampanchal68 and @MohitArjun1. Disinformation Pattern: Chinese commercial vehicles + Omission of authorised border trade context + False narrative of unauthorised Chinese entry + Coordinated posting = Misleading India-China border security narrative. Always check the location, original footage and official context before sharing. #IndianArmy #NathuLa #Sikkim #IndiaChinaBorder #FactCheckIndia @adgpi @easterncomd @trishakticorps @PIBFactCheck @GoI_MeitY @SpokespersonMoD— INDIAN ARMY FACT CHECK (@MythbusterXX) October 26, 2026PAK-LINKED PROPAGANDA ACCOUNTS CIRCULATE DOCTORED VIDEOIn another instance, Pakistan-linked propaganda accounts circulated a digitally manipulated video falsely attributing remarks to retired Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army's Western Command, claiming he had warned that Arunachal Pradesh could become India's next major military flashpoint.According to the Indian Army's fact-check on October 26, the original footage was from a media interaction at Chandimandir in Panchkula on March 30, 2026, on the eve of his retirement, during which he discussed Operation Sindoor, Operation Rahat, operational preparedness and other Western Command initiatives. He made no such statement about Arunachal Pradesh.Spot the Synthetic Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally manipulated video falsely attributing remarks to former Army Commander, Western Command, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar (Retd), claiming he warned that Arunachal Pradesh could become India's next major military flashpoint. The original footage is from his media interaction at Chandimandir, Panchkula on 30 March 2026 on the eve of his retirement. He discussed Operation Sindoor, Operation Rahat, operational preparedness and other Western Command initiatives. He made no such statement about Arunachal Pradesh becoming India's next major flashpoint. https://t.co/GijkxBuLIx Genuine military briefing + Fabricated remarks + False security narrative = Disinformation. Stay Alert! Verify the original source and context before sharing. #IndianArmyFactCheck #FactCheckIndia #Deepfake #Disinformation #IndianArmy #ArunachalPradesh @adgpi @westerncomd_IA @easterncomd @PIBFactCheck @GoI_MeitY @SpokespersonMoD— INDIAN ARMY FACT CHECK (@MythbusterXX) October 26, 2026The Indian Army's fact-checking account flagged on October 26 another misleading post that tried to pass off a 2020 video as a Chinese incursion into Arunachal Pradesh."A TikTok video of an exercise by Special Operations Forces of Kazakhstan is being circulated across multiple social media platforms with misleading claims that Indian and Chinese troops are facing off in the Taksing region of Arunachal Pradesh, with tensions escalating along the LAC and the Indian Army on high alert," the Indian Army's fact-check handle noted.It added, "The video was originally posted on TikTok on 10 October 2026, and the words AOK-CCO are clearly visible on the web equipment of the soldiers". DATE OF FACT-CHECKINGORIGINAL FOOTAGEMISLEADING PRESENTATIONOctober 24ITBP Personnel in LadakhIndian Army soldier shot dead by unknown gunman in LadakhOctober 24Protests in Arunachal Pradesh against proposed Siang dam projectFootage of protests depicted as an "anti-Indian Army uprising."October 25Lt Gen Girish Kalia talking about operations in Kashmir in 2023Lt Gen Kalia’s remarks were digitally altered to falsely claim China had seized parts of Arunachal Pradesh.October 25Mock drill conducted by Indian security forces in KarnatakaFootage of drill presented as Chinese soldiers frisking Indian troops in Arunachal Pradesh.October 26Chinese trucks transiting at Nathu La, Sikkim, an authorised border trade point.Footage presented as unauthorised intrusion of Chinese vehicles into Indian territory.October 26Military exercise being conducted by Kazakhstan special forces units.Footage presented as clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh's Taksing region.October 26Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar talking about Operation Sindoor, Operation Rahat and other military operations.Lt Gen Katiyar's remarks were digitally altered to falsely claim that Arunachal Pradesh could become India's next major military flashpoint.CHINA, PAKISTAN PLAYING A PSYOPS GAME?The use of old footage to push fresh narratives is hardly new. Misleading clips routinely surface on social media.But the recent spurt in posts claiming Indian troops have suffered setbacks in Arunachal Pradesh has raised concerns about a possible Chinese or Pakistani psychological operation or psyop. The posts have surfaced amid intermittent face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).In several of the recent instances, the Indian Army's fact-check handle has revealed the propagandist handles as those linked to Pakistan.China's involvement in psyops is not without precedent. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, a US congressional commission alleged that Beijing orchestrated a disinformation campaign to discredit the French-made Rafale fighter jet, Reuters reported.The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a bipartisan body, said Chinese-linked accounts circulated AI-generated images and video-game visuals as supposed wreckage of aircraft destroyed by Chinese weapons supplied to Pakistan. The posts sought to portray the Indian Air Force (IAF) as having lost a Rafale jet during the aerial clashes in Operation Sindoor.According to the report, the alleged campaign aimed to undermine the Rafale's reputation among potential buyers. The advanced 4.5-generation fighter is operated by more than 10 countries. India has 36 Rafales in its Air Force, with another 26 ordered for the Navy.New Delhi has acknowledged losing some aircraft during Operation Sindoor, but has repeatedly denied claims that Pakistan shot down a Rafale. That, however, could not stop such claims from spreading.Among those who amplified claims about Rafale losses was former French Navy fighter pilot Pierre-Henri Chuet, who is now under formal investigation in France over alleged intelligence activity benefiting China and the disclosure of national defence secrets. Chuet has denied wrongdoing and has been released under judicial supervision. He has not been convicted.CHINA'S DISINFORMATION POWERBeijing has over the years developed formidable cognitive warfare capabilities aimed at shaping perceptions, sowing distrust and influencing the decisions of its adversaries."The Chinese government is employing tactics that seek to influence lawmakers and public opinion to achieve policies that are more favorable to China," says the FBI.A 2022 study published in the Journal of Global Security Studies examined how China uses online disinformation, alongside military intimidation and other forms of influence, to shape public opinion in countries it considers adversaries, particularly Taiwan.The study found that China's online influence efforts go beyond spreading outright falsehoods. Content farms can publish seemingly useful everyday information while embedding narratives favourable to Beijing, allowing them to shape readers' perceptions over time. The authors also described how social media accounts and networks can amplify misleading claims, exploit existing political divisions and create confusion.According to a 2025 analysis by the Australia-based think tank United States Studies Centre, China's broader cognitive warfare strategy seeks to weaken an adversary's resolve and shape its strategic decision-making without resorting to armed conflict.The scale of such operations is significant. A Reuters report published on October 21 said Taiwan's National Security Bureau had reported that China spread more than 2.5 million pieces of disputed or false online information targeting Taiwan in the first nine months of 2026.A Nato-cited study by retired Lt Gen DS Hooda and retired Lt Col Pavithran Rajan also highlights the importance of information in modern warfare. The information reaching the public at home can shape perceptions of a conflict just as military developments on the battlefield do.So, are China and Pakistan engaging in a psychological operation aimed at Indians amid intermittent standoffs along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh? It is difficult to say with certainty, but the spurt in misleading footage and fabricated claims hints at a concerted effort, and certainly warrants caution.- Ends