Blocked 1,400 ‘anti-India’ URLs during Operation Sindoor, says Governement

The Information & Broadcasting Ministry issued directions to block more than 1,400 URLs during Operation Sindoor for circulating “false, misleading, anti-India, and communally sensitive contents, primarily through Pakistan-based accounts”, the Government said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday (July 30, 2025).

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In a written reply to a question from MP Tejasvi Surya over combating disinformation on Operation Sindoor, Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “the government found that massive fake news, misinformation and propaganda campaigns were being run, mostly from outside India”. Counter-measures were taken accordingly.

“The Government of India held periodic media briefings and kept the media and citizens informed. Details of operations carried out by defence forces were explained along with relevant audio-visuals and satellite imagery. These briefings provided authentic information,” he said.

“During Operation Sindoor, a centralised control room was established for interdisciplinary and inter-departmental coordination. This control room functioned 24×7 and facilitated real-time information dissemination to all media stakeholders. This control room comprised nodal representatives from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with officers from various Government media units, and officials from the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Social media handles and posts spreading fake news and misinformation were actively identified,” said the reply.

The PIB’s Fact Check Unit monitored social media and online news sources in real time to detect fake images, edited videos, misleading narratives, and any manipulated content targeting the operation’s objectives, government agencies, or security forces.

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“The Unit debunked Pakistani propaganda against India and Indian Armed Forces and fact-checked many posts countering such content. Additionally, the links related to disinformation or false news concerning Operation Sindoor, fact-checked by the FCU, were promptly shared with concerned intermediaries for appropriate action,” it said.

“The Ministry also issued directions for blocking of over 1,400 URLs on digital media during Operation Sindoor. The content of these URLs included false, misleading, anti-India news content, communally sensitive content primarily from Pakistan-based social media accounts and inciteful content against Indian Armed Forces,” said the reply, adding that on April 26, an advisory was issued to all media channels to refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations and movement of security forces in the interest of national security.