#FactCheck - Viral Video of Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi ‘Admitting’ India Betrayed Iran Is a Deepfake
Executive Summary
A 57-second video featuring India’s Chief of Army Staff Upendra Dwivedi is widely circulating on social media. The clip is being shared with the claim that the Army chief admitted India had “betrayed” Iran by providing the location of an Iranian naval ship to Israel, allegedly leading to its destruction The video is spreading amid heightened tensions in West Asia involving United States, Israel, and Iran. According to posts sharing the claim, the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena, which had participated in a naval event in Visakhapatnam and was returning to Iran with around 130 personnel onboard, was torpedoed by a US submarine near the southern coast of Sri Lanka on March 4 while sailing in the Indian Ocean.
In the viral clip, the speaker—presented as the Indian Army chief—appears to say that India informed Israel about the exact location of the Iranian ship after it left Indian waters, describing Israel as a strategic ally and suggesting that the attack occurred in international waters. The clip also claims that India had no direct involvement in the alleged joint US-Israel torpedo strike.
However, research conducted by the CyberPeace found the claim to be false. Our research shows that the video does not contain a genuine statement from Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi and is in fact a manipulated clip.
Claim
On X (formerly Twitter), a page named GPX (@GPX_Press) shared the video on March 9 with the caption: “India confesses it BETRAYED Iran by leaking the location of an Iranian ship to Israel, leading to its total destruction!”
Fact Check
During the verification process, researchers noticed a ticker in the viral video reading “Raisina Dialogue 2026 × Firstpost.” Using this clue, we conducted a keyword search on YouTube and located a video uploaded by Firstpost on March 7 titled “India’s Army Chief Speaks on Op Sindoor, Pakistan and Future of Warfare | Raisina Dialogue 2026.”
In the 21-minute interview, Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi is seen speaking with strategic affairs expert Harsh V. Pant. According to the video description, the discussion focuses on lessons from Operation Sindoor and the evolving nature of modern warfare.
The viral clip appears to be taken from this interview. However, throughout the conversation, Dwivedi does not mention any conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, nor does he refer to the sinking of an Iranian naval ship in the Indian Ocean. This indicates that the circulating clip has been edited and misrepresented to create a misleading narrative.
For additional verification, the viral video was analyzed using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation. The results suggested a 99.9% probability that the speech in the clip was generated using AI, indicating manipulation of the original footage.
Conclusion
The research makes it clear that the viral video does not reflect an authentic statement by India’s Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi. The clip has been altered and the audio appears to be AI-generated. In other words, the circulating video is a deepfake being shared with a misleading claim.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A video showing thick smoke rising from a building and people running in panic is being shared on social media. The video is being circulated with the claim that it shows Iran launching a missile attack on the United States.CyberPeace’s research found the claim to be misleading. Our probe revealed that the video is not related to any recent incident. The viral clip is actually from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in the United States and is being falsely shared as footage of an alleged Iranian missile strike on the US.
Claim:
An Instagram user shared the video claiming, “Iran has attacked a US airbase in Qatar. Iran has fired six ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar. Al Udeid Airbase is the largest US military base in West Asia.”
Links to the post and its archived version are provided below.
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and ran a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found visuals matching the viral clip in a report published by Wion on September 11, 2021. The report, titled “In pics | A look back at the scenes from the 9/11 attacks,” included an image that closely resembled the visuals seen in the viral video. The caption of the image stated that it was a file photo from September 11, 2001, showing pedestrians running as one of the World Trade Center towers collapsed in New York City.
Further research led us to the same footage on the YouTube channel CBS 8 San Diego. At the 01:11 timestamp of the video, visuals matching the viral clip can be clearly seen.
We also found an Al Jazeera report dated June 23, 2025, which confirmed that Iran had attacked US forces stationed at the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar in retaliation for US strikes on Iran’s uclear facilities. However, the visuals used in the viral video do not correspond to this incident.
Conclusion
The viral video does not show a recent Iranian attack on a US airbase in Qatar. The clip actually dates back to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in the United States. Old 9/11 footage has been falsely shared with a misleading claim linking it to Iran’s alleged missile strike on the US.
Introduction
We live in a time where technological change is no longer slow or subtle. Robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, and digital systems are transforming the way we work, think, and even imagine the future. This is often celebrated as great progress. But a deeper question quietly waits behind the noise. Is every advancement truly an uplift when seen through the lens of scriptures, culture, and Indian philosophical thought? Are we creating for the good of humanity, or are we only chasing convenience and speed? And what kind of future are we actually preparing, not just for ourselves, but for those who will be born into this world shaped by these tools from the very beginning?
India has long been seen as a land that values balance, purity, and harmony with nature. Its rivers, mountains, forests, and traditions are not just geography or history, they are part of a civilizational way of thinking that connects life, duty, and responsibility. In this context, it becomes important to ask what the long-term cost of our technological appetite might be. Every invention has a footprint. Industries change landscapes. Energy demands reshape ecosystems. Convenience today often hides consequences that only appear years later. Progress, when measured only in speed and output, forgets to ask what it takes away in silence.
There is also a quieter change happening inside the human mind. As tools become smarter, humans begin to feel more powerful. The thought slowly shifts from “I can use this” to “I control this.” With artificial intelligence, the language becomes even bolder. We start hearing phrases like “we can create worlds, faces, voices, even minds.” But history have always warned us about ‘overreach’. Not because power is evil, but because pride blinds judgment. When ability grows faster than wisdom, imbalance follows. We can already see early signs of this in concerns about shrinking attention spans, weakening cognitive habits, and a growing dependence on systems that think for us before we learn to think for ourselves deeply.
None of this is an argument to reject innovation. The idea is not to blacklist technology or romanticise the past. The real question is about direction and responsibility. Advancements are not only for the comfort of the present generation. They shape the mental, moral, and emotional world of future generations who will grow up surrounded by these systems as something normal and unavoidable. What values will guide that world? What habits will it encourage? What will it quietly take away?
This is where the richness of Indian thought becomes relevant, not as nostalgia, but as guidance. Ideas of dharma, restraint, balance, and ethical action were never anti-progress. They were reminders that power without responsibility becomes dangerous, and that ability without humility leads to decline. In modern terms, we talk about safety by design, ethical innovation, and human-centred technology. In older language, we talked about duty, limits, and the consequences of unchecked desire. The words have changed, but the concern is the same.
Perhaps the real question is not whether we are becoming creators, but whether we remember that we are also caretakers. We do not bring existence out of nothing. We reshape what already exists. And in that reshaping, the line between wisdom and arrogance, between progress and pride, becomes the most important line of all.
The futuristic impact of AI, robotics, and technologies
In every yuga, humans have extended the limits of what they can do. What changes is not the desire, but the form it takes. Our ancient history speak of extraordinary abilities, not as fantasies, but as reminders of how power tests character. Figures like Naradmuni (a prominent divine sage (Rishiraja) in Hinduism) are described as moving from one place to another in moments. Others gained immense strength, knowledge, or influence through years of discipline and tapasya. Ravana (Figure from Ramayana) himself was learned and powerful, far beyond ordinary human measure. Sanjaya (the charioteer and advisor of King Dhritarashtra in the Mahabharata) receives the gift of divya drishti and narrates the events of the battlefield without being physically present there, seeing and speaking across distance in a way that still feels remarkable even today.
In this yuga, that ancient search for power and reach has not disappeared, it has only changed its language, and today it speaks through robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies, making us ask whether we are truly creators or only very advanced arrangers of what already exists.
In this age, science and technology are attempting something similar in a different language. We may not travel like Naradmuni, but we send our voices, images, and thoughts across the world in seconds. We build machines that can see, listen, respond, and even imitate human thinking. Artificial intelligence and robotics promise comfort, speed, and efficiency, and in many ways, they truly improve human life. Yet the old question remains. Not just what can we do, but how far should we go, and at what cost.
When we primarily build for human convenience, we often fail to thoroughly examine the long-term consequences. The environmental impact of large-scale technology is already visible in the pressure on resources, the growth of waste, and the slow damage to air, water, and soil. Nature does not recover at the pace of human ambition. What feels like small compromises today can become heavy burdens for tomorrow.
There is also the impact on the human mind. As systems become more capable, humans risk becoming more dependent. When answers arrive instantly, patience weakens. When machines start deciding for us, the habit of deep thinking slowly fades. Over time, this can affect attention, memory, and judgment. Knowledge becomes easier to reach, but wisdom becomes harder to build. Just as in old stories, the danger is not in having power, but in losing clarity while using it.
Future generations will not encounter these technologies as new inventions. They will be born into them. What we treat today as tools, they will experience as the normal environment of life. This makes responsibility unavoidable. The real question is not only whether these systems work, but what kind of humans they will shape.
The purpose of this reflection is not to reject progress. It is to ask for balance. Building for human comfort is important, but building without studying long-term impact is risky. If this age has the power to create intelligent systems, it must also have the wisdom to protect the environment, care for future generations, and preserve the depth of the human mind. Otherwise, advancement becomes speed without direction, and power without responsibility.
The Acceleration of the Technological Age
The current era has reached a state where technological progress now occurs through instantaneous changes which transform our methods of working and decision-making and future planning. People often view robotics and automation and artificial intelligence as signs of progress yet a less audible inquiry persists through time which asks whether every technological advancement enhances human existence or whether we merely pursue efficient and easy solutions without thinking about their implications. Indian philosophical thought offers a useful lens here, one that does not reject progress but asks whether it aligns with balance, responsibility, and long-term harmony. The definition of intelligence according to this perspective extends beyond computational skills and pattern imitation because it requires people to achieve awareness and intent and their complete understanding. Current machines possess the ability to mimic human reasoning and produce language while they can replicate decision-making processes, but they lack both consciousness and personal experience.
Power, Responsibility, and Ethical Imbalance
The development of new technological capabilities brings with it ethical responsibilities which every society must handle. Human beings must take on new ethical duties which match their increasing capabilities according to historical evidence. The current situation shows that people create new things at a speed which exceeds their ability to think about those innovations. Systems exist to enhance operational performance while they determine human actions and extend their power but they do not always evaluate their complete impact. Indian traditions emphasize dharma, the principle of balance and rightful action, which shows that power without ethical grounding creates destructive human force. The state of imbalance exists without showing its presence at all times. The process of imbalance development takes place through three channels: environmental degradation, social inequalities, and the gradual decline of human control.
The current society demonstrates this transformation through its existing results. The algorithms now determine our consumption choices and our methods of understanding everything around us. The system provides users with personalized comfort, but it also creates hidden patterns that determine their preferences. The process starts with decision assistance before it progresses to decision influence which eventually leads to decision conditioning. The concept of swatantrata as inner freedom becomes more complicated within such an environment. People stop making freedom choices when they find it easier to select between things that exist in their surroundings because they lose their ability to choose. People start to measure their work activities and personal identity through systems that use optimization techniques and digital validation systems, which leads to a decrease of space that exists for individuals to think and consider matters independently.
Technology, Ecology, and Civilizational Values
The environmental impact of technological demand exists together with social transformations. All systems need power while all infrastructure creates environmental effects and all products, we use contain unknown expenses which become apparent after many years. India's civilizational values maintain their dedication to nature because people see rivers and forests and ecosystems as essential parts of existence. Success in modern society measures output as the main achievement while actual value disappears through the evaluation process. The future requires us to create new things but we must also decide which things to keep intact.
The current situation requires progress to be defined differently because it needs to be measured through precise management instead of continuous rapid development. The question now extends beyond technological advancement to include the need for technologies to be operated through intelligent guidance. The increasing abilities of machines create a greater need for people to maintain their essential human characteristics. Human beings must actively maintain their capacity to make ethical decisions and understand their life's meaning and purpose. The future depends on two factors: the “innovations that will emerge and the values that will guide their development.”
Conclusion
It is high time we pause and honestly examine the path we are taking. The question is not whether technology should grow, but whether its overreach should be allowed to shape the future without restraint. We are building faster than ever, developing systems that touch every part of life. That makes it even more important to study their long-term impact, not only on markets or productivity, but on nature, on the human mind, and on the generations who will inherit this tech-driven world.
Progress should benefit those who come after us, not quietly weaken them. A future where people are born into pure convenience, surrounded by tools that think, decide, and act for them, may look comfortable, but comfort alone does not build strong, aware, or responsible human beings. Growth without effort and ease without discipline slowly takes away depth, resilience, and clarity. Technology should support human potential, not replace it.
This is why morality, ethics, and balance cannot be treated as optional ideas. They must guide innovation, not follow it. We do not need to overcreate. We need to create ‘wisely’. We need to build systems that remain under human control, not systems that slowly train humans to surrender their judgment, attention, and responsibility. Tools should remain tools. They should serve life, not define it.
Indian thought has always placed intention at the centre of action. Karma is not judged only by outcome, but by the spirit in which an act is performed. A tool in itself is neither pure nor impure. It becomes one or the other through the hand that uses it. This is a lens through which modern technology can also be examined. Artificial intelligence can help doctors read scans faster, help farmers predict weather patterns, and help students in remote areas access knowledge. At the same time, it can be used to watch, to sort, to exclude, and to reduce human beings to data points that fit neatly into a system. The difference lies not in the machine, but in the values of those who design and deploy it.
The purpose of this reflection is simple. We should build, but we should build with responsibility. We should innovate, but with awareness of consequences. True progress is not just about what is possible today. It is about what remains healthy, meaningful, and sustainable tomorrow. If this age can combine intelligence with humility, and power with restraint, then technology will not become a symbol of overreach. It will become a sign of maturity.
In the 21st century, wars are no longer confined to land, sea, and air. Rather, they are increasingly playing out across the digital domain, where effective dominance over networks, data, and communications determines who holds the upper hand. Among these, 5G networks are becoming a defining factor on modern battlefields. The ultra-low latency, massive bandwidth capability, and the ability to connect many devices at a single time are transforming the scale and level of military operations, intelligence, and logistics. This unprecedented connectivity is also met with a host of cybersecurity vulnerabilities that the governments and the militaries have to address.
As India faces a challenging security environment, the emergence of 5G presents both an opportunity and a dilemma. On one hand, it can enhance our command, control, surveillance and battlefield coordination. On the other hand, it also exposes the military and the security establishments to risks of espionage and supply chain vulnerabilities. So in this case, it will be important to strike a balance between innovation and security for turning 5G into a strength rather than a liability.
How can 5G networks be a military asset?
In comparison to its predecessors, 5G is not just about faster downloads. Rather, it is a complete overhaul of network architectures that are designed to support services and technologies according to modern technological requirements. In terms of military application of 5G networks, it can prove a series of game-changing capabilities, such as:-
- Enhanced Command and Control in the form of real-time data sharing between troops, UAVs, Radar systems and the Command Cells to ensure a faster and coordinated decision-making approach.
- Tactical Situational Awareness with the help of 5G-enabled devices can give soldiers instant updates on the terrain, troop movements, or positions and enemy movements.
- Advanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) with high-resolution sensors, radars and UAVs that can operate at their full potential by transmitting vast data streams with minimal legacy.
However, 5G networks can also help to become a key component of the communication component of the military command establishments that would allow machines, sensors and human operators to function as a single and integrated force.
Understanding the importance of 5G networks as the Double-Edged Swords of Connectivity-
The potential of 5G is undeniable, but its vulnerabilities cannot be ignored. Because they are software-driven and reliant on dense networks of small cells. For the military, this shows that adversaries could exploit their weaknesses to disrupt the communication, jam signals, and intercept sensitive data, leaving behind some key risks, such as;
- Cybersecurity threats from software-based architectures make 5G networks prone to malware and data breaches.
- Supply chain risks can arise from reliance on foreign hardware and software components with raising fears of embedded backdoors or compromised systems.
- Signal jamming and interface in terms of millimetre-wave spectrum, 5G signals are vulnerable to disruption in contested environments.
- There can also be insider threats and physical sabotage over personnel or unsecured installations that could compromise network integrity.
Securing the Backbone: Cyber Defence Imperatives
To safeguard 5G networks as the backbone for future warfare, the defence establishments need to adopt a layered, proactive cybersecurity strategy. Several measures can be considered, such as;
- Ensuring robust encryption and authentication to protect sensitive data, which requires the installation of advanced protocols like Subscription Concealed Identifiers and zero-trust frameworks to eliminate implicit trust.
- Investing in domestic R&D for 5G components to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers. India’s adoption of the 5Gi standard is a step in this direction, but upgrading it into a military grade remains vital.
- To ensure collaboration across different sectors, the defence forces need to work with civilian agencies and private telecoms support providers to create unified standards and best practices.
Thus, with embedding cybersecurity into every layer of the 5G architecture, India can work in the direction to reduce risks to maintain its operational resilience.
The geopolitical domains of 5G Network as a tool of warfare-
The introduction of 5G networks has definitely come as a tool of technological advancement in the communication sector. But at the same time, it has also posed a geopolitical context as well. The strategic competition between the US and China to dominate the 5G infrastructure has global security implications. For India, aligning closely with either of the blocs will pose a risk to its strategic autonomy, but pursuing non-alignment can give India some leverage to develop its capability on its own.
In this case, partnerships with the QUAD with the US, Japan and Australia can open avenues for cooperating on shared standards, cost sharing, and interoperability in 5G-enabled military systems. Learning from countries like the US and Israel, which are developing their defence communication and network infrastructure to secure 5G networks, or revisiting existing frameworks like COMCASA or BECA with the US can serve as platforms to explore joint protocols for 5G networks.
Conclusion: Opportunities and the way forward-
The 5G network is becoming a part of the central nervous system of the future battlefields. It can offer immense opportunities for India to modernise its defence capabilities and enhance the situational awareness by integrating AI-driven systems. The future lies in adopting a balanced strategy by developing indigenous capabilities, forging trusted partnerships, embedding cybersecurity into every layer of the networking architecture and preparing a skilled workforce to analyse and counter evolving threats. However, by adopting a foresighted preparedness, India can turn the double-edged sword of 5G into a decisive advantage by ensuring that it not only adapts to the digital battlefield, rather India can also lead it.
References
- https://chanakyaforum.com/5g-poised-to-usher-in-a-paradigm-shift-in-military-communications
- https://www.ijert.org/secure-5g-network-architecture-for-armed-forces
- https://www.airforce-technology.com/sponsored/data-is-becoming-more-powerful-than-any-weaponry-on-the-battlefield-and-5g-is-the-backbone/
- https://www.upguard.com/blog/how-5g-technology-affects-cybersecurity
- https://agileblue.com/exploring-the-impact-of-5g-technology-on-cybersecurity-practices/
