Fact Check: Did Modi admit Rafale losses to Pakistan? No, video is AI-manipulated
A video circulating online claims to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepting Rafale fighter jet losses during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
By - Rahul Adhikari
Claim:The video shows PM Modi admitting Rafale losses during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
Fact:False. The video is AI-manipulated and does not show Modi accepting Rafale losses.
In the video, Modi can be heard saying in Hindi that when Pakistan shot down Rafale jets, the whole world was making fun of India.
He further says, “What kind of world leader is India? Nobody would venture with India. Then we told Macron that India is in a bad situation. If we are being made fun of, you are also the reason. If you don’t stand with us, we will run donkey carts with the remaining Rafale jets in India.”
Modi is then heard saying, “I requested Macron, and he agreed. Now, even if Pakistan shoots down 10 or 200 jets, it does not bother India.”
A user on X shared the video and wrote, “Indian PM Modi surrendering and accepting the Indian Air Force’s Rafale defeats against Pakistan. These shameless Indian armed forces can only oppress innocent civilians in Manipur. FREE MANIPUR!” (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral video has been fabricated using AI.
Origin of the video
We conducted a reverse image search on Google using a keyframe from the viral video and found that the original clip was published on February 17, 2026, on Narendra Modi’s official YouTube channel. The original video, which is 29 minutes long, features Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron addressing the press.
Upon reviewing the full video, we found that Modi spoke about India and France’s strategic partnership. Macron had visited India to strengthen defence and AI cooperation between the two countries.
A review of the complete speech confirmed that Modi did not mention Rafale jets being shot down or refer to any 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan. The viral clip appears to have been extracted from this original video and digitally altered.
Analysis of the video
To verify its authenticity, we uploaded the viral clip to the Danaya AI detection tool. The tool indicated that the video contains AI-generated elements.
For further verification, we analysed the video using Google Gemini. The tool flagged several inconsistencies that suggest possible manipulation.
According to the analysis, the audio and lip-syncing appear slightly misaligned. Additionally, the content of the speech is highly unusual and does not align with Modi’s typical public statements. Such discrepancies are common indicators of AI-generated or deepfake videos.
Based on the available evidence, NewsMeter concludes that the claim is false. A genuine clip of Narendra Modi was digitally altered using AI to create the viral video.
