The Indian Army has rejected several viral social media claims about Chinese activity along the India-China border, warning people against sharing misleading videos. The clarification comes amid reports of continuing face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh.
One widely shared video claimed that Chinese vehicles had entered Indian territory illegally through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass. The
Army clarified that the footage showed JAC-branded Chinese commercial vehicles at an authorised border trade point. Trade takes place there under agreed arrangements between India and China.
The Army also identified 12 social media accounts that shared the same video between 8:26 am and 12:56 pm on October 26. It described the pattern as “coordinated inauthentic behaviour”. However, the identity of anyone behind the activity or any link to a foreign government has not been established.
Other videos were also found to be misleading. Footage showing injured personnel was linked online to a supposed clash with
Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh. The Army said it actually came from Operation Karegutta, an anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh where personnel were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast.
Another video falsely attributed remarks about Chinese control of border areas to senior Army officer Lieutenant General Girish Kalia.
The Army said the clip had been digitally manipulated using AI-generated voice and lip movements. The original footage was from a military briefing in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, in October 2023.
Separately, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief confirmed on October 23 that face-offs were continuing at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh. This is a separate development and does not prove the claims made in the viral videos.
The Army has urged people to check a video’s location, original footage and official context before sharing it online.
