The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has flagged a fake video circulating online that falsely attributes anti-government statements to Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi.
The video, which the PIB said was being circulated by “Pakistan-linked accounts”, accuses the Indian government of halting military action during Operation Sindoor and claims this led to setbacks for the Indian Air Force.
Calling it propaganda, the PIB’s fact-checking unit clarified that Admiral Tripathi made no such statement.
The clip is a “digitally manipulated video,” the PIB said.
“Some Pakistan-supported accounts are spreading a digitally manipulated video of Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, showing him accusing the government of halting action during #OperationSindoor, and claiming it caused harm to the Indian Air Force,” the PIB Fact Check team posted on X.
It also provided a link to the actual video on YouTube.
In reality, Admiral Tripathy emphasised India's military readiness and assertiveness during Operation Sindoor.
Speaking in Visakhapatnam during the commissioning of two new frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, he said that India’s aggressive posture during Operation Sindoor had effectively restrained the Pakistani Navy, forcing them to seek a ceasefire.
“In this era of uncertainties and competition, Indian Navy's capability to deliver an overwhelming force at sea is a credible deterrence against India's enemies. We demonstrated it well during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
At the commissioning ceremony, Tripathy said that India’s strategic positioning and firm approach have successfully kept Pakistan in check.
"The swift deployment and aggressive posturing of our units held the Pakistan navy captive in a way and forced them to request us to end kinetic actions,” he said.
He affirmed that if required in the future, the Indian Navy would take the lead in operations against Pakistan.
The chief further emphasized the significance of Himgiri and Udaygiri, pointing out that they are the 100th and 101st vessels crafted by India’s indigenous warship design bureau.