India blocks Chinese media X accounts over pro-Pakistan disinformation amid Indo-Pak ceasefire
According to officials, both the accounts, which are tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), were seen amplifying false claims and inflammatory narratives — particularly around the ongoing fallout of India's successful cross-border operation.
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01:03 PM IST
In a significant diplomatic and digital crackdown, India on Wednesday blocked the X accounts of Chinese state-run media outlets, Global Times and Xinhua News Agency, for allegedly spreading Pakistani propaganda and disinformation amid Indo-Pak ceasefire understanding.
The action was coordinated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), citing concerns over national security and public order. Officials stated that both the accounts, which are tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), were seen amplifying false claims and inflammatory narratives — particularly around the ongoing fallout of India's successful cross-border operation.
‘Verify facts before pushing out disinformation’
India took strong exception to a viral fake news claim suggesting that a Rafale fighter jet was shot down near Bahawalpur in Pakistan — a report that India quickly dismissed as false. The narrative was traced back to an unrelated 2021 MiG-21 crash in Punjab's Moga district.
The Indian Embassy in China directly addressed Global Times on X, stating: "Dear Global Timesnews, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation,"
(1/n) Dear @globaltimesnews , we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information. https://t.co/xMvN6hmrhe
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 7, 2025
In another tweet, it added: "Several pro-Pakistan handles are spreading baseless claims in the context of #OperationSindoor, attempting to mislead the public. When media outlets share such information without verifying sources, it reflects a serious lapse in responsibility and journalistic ethics."
The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit also flagged the content, warning users to be wary of “old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context.”
China renaming Arunachal towns won’t change ground reality: MEA
In a related diplomatic front, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also rejected China’s recent attempt to rename several places in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it a “futile and baseless” move to assert territorial claims.
"We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh," the ministry said. "Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically. Creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality that Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India," MEA said in a statement.
The surge in propaganda came in the wake of India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead.
(With inputs from agencies)
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