The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit on Wednesday, 27 May debunked a deepfake video circulating on social media that falsely attributed fabricated diplomatic remarks to Nagraj Naidu Kakanur, Additional Secretary (AMS – USA & Canada) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The government's fact-checking arm confirmed the video was digitally altered using artificial intelligence and urged citizens to report such misinformation immediately.

What the Fake Video Claimed

In the manipulated clip, the MEA official is falsely heard making inflammatory statements about the Quad grouping, Israel, the United States, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fabricated audio attributed to him includes: 'For saying QUAD is over, it's not. We don't care even if United States, Japan or Australia leaves QUAD. Israel is joining us and we will make 'Bi' sexual. Israel alone controls entire USA and world order. So, India will stand with Israel and control Mr Trump. PM Modi has completely chaged the game.'

The video was circulated on social media with a misleading caption claiming an Indian diplomat had asserted that India controls US President Donald Trump through Israel, even if the Quad alliance collapsed.

PIB's Response and the Original Video

PIB Fact Check posted on X, stating: 'Deep Fake Video Alert! Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally altered video of Additional Secretary (AMS – USA & Canada), MEA, falsely attributing fabricated remarks to him. The video is fake and AI-generated. The Additional Secretary, MEA, never made any such statement in the original video.'

The unit shared the link to the original, unedited footage to expose the fabrication. In the authentic clip, Kakanur was actually discussing critical minerals, rare earth resources, and global supply chain resilience. His actual words were: 'Discussion around critical minerals and rare earths has gained immense traction. The whole issue is how to ensure supply chain resiliency. Everybody seems to be asking the same questions, but not everybody has the ability to process rare earths. That has become a huge challenge because not many countries have invested resources into processing and extracting some of these rare earths.'

Reporting Channels and Advisory

PIB Fact Check provided official contact details for reporting such misinformation via WhatsApp and email. Officials have consistently advised social media users to verify information through authentic government sources before forwarding or reposting content involving public officials or sensitive diplomatic matters.

Context: Quad Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi

The deepfake surfaces just days after the Quad foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, 26 May, where the grouping expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy and unveiled new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific. The meeting was chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Jaishankar underscored that India, Japan, Australia, and the US — as maritime democracies, pluralistic societies, and market economies — share a collective responsibility toward a free and open Indo-Pacific. Notably, the timing of the fabricated video, immediately after a high-profile Quad meeting, suggests a deliberate attempt to exploit diplomatic momentum and sow confusion about India's foreign policy positions.

As AI-generated disinformation grows more sophisticated, PIB Fact Check's intervention highlights the urgent need for digital media literacy and faster institutional response to state-sponsored propaganda.