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Fact Check
Video shows India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan allegedly admitting that the country lost four Rafale fighter jets during “Operation Sindoor.”
The claim is false. The video was found to be manipulated.
A video circulating on social media claims to show Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan admitting that India lost four Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025.
In the clip, the CDS is purportedly heard saying:
“On the 7th, we attacked nine terrorist targets between 1 am and 1.30 am. You know, there were operations in Balakot before this. We kept saying that we had killed them, they were successful, but there was no evidence, satellite imagery or photographs. But what we were doing now, why did we do it at 1:30 am? We thought that the Pakistani Air Force would be sleeping and no one would know what we had attacked in Pakistan. But they all found out. Our four Rafales fell down, but we have learned a lot…”
A Google search using keywords like “CDS admits four Rafale losses” showed no credible media reports confirming such a statement or incident.
A reverse image search of keyframes led to a September 18, 2025 X post by news agency PTI, whose watermark appears in the viral clip.
In the authentic footage, he states:
“On the 7th, we attacked 9 terrorist targets between 1 am and 1.30 am… But what we were doing now, why did we do it at 1: 30 am? That is the darkest time, it would be the most difficult to get satellite images, photographs, and collect evidence.”
“Yet, we struck at 1 or 1:30 at night. Why was that? It was for two reasons. First, we had confidence in our capabilities that even at night we would be able to get imagery. And the second important reason was that we wanted to avoid civilian casualties…”
General Chauhan interaction with the students at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi, Jharkhand was live streamed on the agency’s YouTube channel on September 18, 2025, and can be seen here.
Newschecker has previously exposed similar deepfake videos targeting Indian defence officials with fabricated admissions of losses. Our fact checks can be seen here, here and here.
Also Read: ‘Harshvardhan’ Rescues Girl From Muslim Kidnappers? Here’s The Truth Behind Viral Clip
The video claiming that India’s CDS General Anil Chauhan admitted to losing four Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor is altered. General Anil Chauhan never made the statement attributed to him. The viral clip is manipulated.
Q1. Did CDS General Anil Chauhan admit that India lost four Rafale jets during Operation Sindoor?
No. His verified speech, available on PTI’s X handle and YouTube, contains no such mention.
Q2. How can you identify a manipulated video?
Watch for lip-sync mismatches, audio jumps, missing objects, or distorted insignia. Always cross-check with credible sources.
Q3. How can the public verify military claims online?
Check official defence ministry releases, trusted news outlets, and reputable fact-checking platforms. Avoid relying solely on social media videos without credible sources.
Sources
X Post By PTI, Dated September 18, 2025
YouTube Video By PTI, Dated September 18, 2025
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector Tool
Altered Photo/Video
Kushel Madhusoodan
September 18, 2025
Vasudha Beri
September 18, 2025
Vasudha Beri
September 17, 2025
