New Delhi, May 7, 2025 — India has strongly rebuked Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times for publishing false claims regarding the Indian Air Force’s Operation Sindoor. The official handle of the Indian Embassy in Beijing issued a stern warning, urging the portal to “verify facts” and “cross-examine sources before pushing out disinformation.”
Global Times had earlier claimed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down a third Indian fighter jet following overnight airstrikes by India across the Line of Control (LoC). The story cited unnamed Pakistani military sources and was amplified by other pro-Pakistan media channels.
“Dear @globaltimesnews, we recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation,” the Indian embassy wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
India Counters Disinformation With Verified Facts
In a detailed rebuttal, the embassy pointed to older images of crashed aircraft being recycled in the current context. These included a MiG-29 crash from Rajasthan in September 2024 and a MiG-21 crash from Punjab in 2021, neither related to Operation Sindoor. Fact-checkers like PIB Fact Check have also flagged these images as misleading.
India reiterated that its military action—Operation Sindoor—was in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, where 26 civilians, mostly Hindus, including a Nepali national, were brutally murdered by Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. The attackers forced victims to reveal their religious identity before executing them in front of their families with close-range headshots. Read Hindustan Times coverage.
UN-Designated Terror Groups Involved
India confirmed that the group The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the attack, is a proxy of the UN-proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Indian authorities highlighted this connection in their reports to the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, as early as 2023. Learn more about the UN 1267 Committee.
“Pakistan’s attempt to remove references to TRF in the April 25 UN Security Council statement is telling,” said the Indian embassy in another post. The embassy emphasized that Pakistan continues to provide safe haven to global terrorists despite international scrutiny.
Measured, Non-Escalatory Response
The Indian government has maintained that its actions were proportionate, precise, and intended to disable terrorist infrastructure without targeting Pakistani military assets. “India exercised its right to pre-empt and deter future attacks. The global community must adopt a zero-tolerance stance toward terrorism,” concluded the embassy.
This diplomatic exchange underscores rising geopolitical tensions not just between India and Pakistan, but also with China, which continues to back Islamabad diplomatically and economically via the Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, India’s firm rebuttal signals a renewed push to combat misinformation and defend its sovereign actions on the global stage.
Follow ongoing updates on Operation Sindoor here.