In democracies, opposition parties are expected to challenge the ruling government, keep it in check, and offer alternative policies grounded in reason and responsibility. But what happens when an opposition party, instead of questioning the government with facts, launches an all-out offensive based on lies, doctored visuals, and fabricated documents? What happens when the country’s principal opposition becomes a Fake News Factory?
Welcome to the Indian National Congress in 2025.
In just fifteen days, the Congress party and its digital proxies have peddled no less than seven fake news stories, each laced with strategic intent — either to undermine India’s foreign policy credibility, sow fear among citizens, or deliberately mislead the electorate. These are not random social media posts by anonymous users — these are verified Congress handles, party spokespersons, and digital influencers with direct ties to the political top brass, engaging in the weaponization of misinformation.
Let’s break down each incident, exposing the deliberate deceit and the larger game plan at play.
7 fake news pieces in just 15 days — @INCIndia is truly living up to its title of being the #FakeNews factory!
From doctored videos to fabricated documents, lies have become their only strategy. When facts don’t favour you, fiction becomes the fallback.
India deserves an honest… pic.twitter.com/O09KKjEtkD
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 22, 2025
Lie #1: The G7 Stage Snub – A doctored image to paint diplomatic humiliation
The Claim: A Congress leader posted an image suggesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “not allowed on stage” at the G7 Summit. The tweet included a distorted clip, allegedly from ANI, showing world leaders interacting on a podium while PM Modi was shown isolated.
The Reality: The video was a crudely edited clip designed to omit the moments where PM Modi was being welcomed and engaged by G7 leaders. The original ANI footage showed no such snub. The doctored image was quickly exposed by fact-checkers, and under pressure, the Congress leader deleted the tweet without apology or clarification.
This wasn’t just a minor error it was an attempt to project India as diplomatically isolated, right when the nation was being applauded for its balanced diplomacy amid global tensions.
Lie #2: India Was Not Invited to G7 – From Photoshop to Phantom Narrative
The Claim: Following the failed stage-gate lie, Congress took it up a notch. One of its senior digital strategists posted: “India was not even invited to the G7. This government is just lying.”
The Reality: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had already released a statement via the Press Information Bureau (PIB) confirming that PM Modi was personally invited by Canadian PM Mark Carney to attend the summit in Kananaskis. The call, in fact, emphasized the enduring India-Canada relationship and their cooperation in global forums.
The Congress claim had no source, no evidence — just deliberate noise.
Lie #3: US Readout ‘Mismatch’ – misusing an old document to create fake discord
The Claim: Congress-linked accounts claimed there was a “glaring mismatch” between PM Modi’s statement on a bilateral with the U.S. President and the U.S. readout — implying dishonesty from India.
The Reality: The so-called ‘US readout’ shared by Congress was from January 2025, entirely unrelated to the current summit or conversation. There was no updated U.S. readout available yet at the time. The opposition was caught red-handed using outdated material to create a narrative of diplomatic embarrassment.
Such behavior is not just irresponsible — it sabotages public trust in India’s international engagements.
Lie #4: Saudi Arabia bans Indian Travelers – An Annual Visa Pause Twisted Into a Crisis
The Claim: Congress’s digital ecosystem circulated claims that Saudi Arabia had “banned” Indian travellers, pointing fingers at the government’s foreign policy incompetence.
The Reality: This was completely false. What happened was a routine annual visa-processing pause for Hajj pilgrims, a logistical necessity that takes place every year. Saudi authorities and the Indian Hajj Committee clarified there was no diplomatic rift, and visas were being processed in phases.
The aim was clear — use religious sentiment and fear-mongering to turn the Muslim electorate against the government, even if it meant peddling lies.
Lie #5: Russia signs $2.6 billion Arms deal with Pakistan – A dangerous disinformation
The Claim: Congress-linked handles amplified a claim that Russia had signed a massive $2.6 billion arms deal with Pakistan, suggesting India’s longtime strategic partner was now shifting loyalties.
The Reality: The story was based on a speculative Pakistani media report after a minor diplomatic meeting between Haroon Akhtar Khan, a Pakistani special assistant, and Denis Nazirov, Russia’s Trade Representative.
Within 48 hours, Russia categorically denied any such deal, branding the reports as fake, exaggerated, and aimed at sabotaging the India-Russia partnership — especially in light of India’s recent Operation Sindoor, which struck terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK).
A Russian foreign office official explicitly stated:
“There is no such arms deal. There are no plans for setting up any steel plant or military partnership. These stories are an attempt to manufacture a false narrative.” Despite this, Congress continued sharing the report without retraction. The disinformation was calculated to create a perception of diplomatic isolation, even at the cost of stoking tensions.
Lie #6: Pakistan Army Chief invited by US – A total fabrication
The Claim: In another fake story, Congress handles claimed that Pakistan’s Army Chief had been invited by the White House, implying a tilt in U.S. defense policy and a snub to India.
The Reality: No such invitation was ever issued. US officials, when contacted by Indian journalists, confirmed no meeting was scheduled or requested. It was a complete fabrication, probably planted to sow distrust among the Indian strategic community and armed forces.
This wasn’t just misinformation it was potentially harmful to India-US. defense relations, especially during high-level summits.
Lie #7: 10,000 Indians ‘Abandoned’ in Iran – fearmongering during a crisis
The Claim: As tensions rose in Iran, Congress leaders claimed that India had abandoned 10,000 of its citizens, accusing the government of “inaction” and “inhumanity.”
The Reality: India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had already begun organizing evacuations and had issued clear advisories through its embassies. No citizen was left behind, and evacuation flights were being coordinated with Iranian authorities in real-time. This was fear-mongering during an international crisis, aimed at cornering the government with a false narrative that endangered public calm and confidence.
The Indian National Congress is not just guilty of spreading fake news — it is guilty of weaponizing disinformation at a national scale. These seven cases reflect a pattern of targeted attacks, not random mistakes.
