#FactCheck-Old 2020 Lockdown Video of PM Modi Resurfaces as Recent
Executive Summary
A video is being shared on social media in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be heard saying that “a complete lockdown will be imposed from midnight to save the country.” Research by the CyberPeace found the viral claim to be misleading. Our probe revealed that the video is from March 2020, when PM Modi had announced a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Claim:
An Instagram user shared the viral video on March 25, 2026. The link and archive link of the post are given below.

Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we conducted a keyword search on Google. However, we did not find any credible media reports confirming that such a lockdown announcement had been made recently. We then extracted keyframes from the viral video and performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. During this process, we found the same video on a YouTube channel, where it had been uploaded on March 24, 2020.

The viral portion of the clip appears around the 40-second mark in the original video.
Conclusion:
Our research found that the viral video is not recent. It dates back to March 24, 2020, when PM Modi announced a nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The clip is being shared with a misleading claim.
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A report by MarketsandMarkets in 2024 showed that the global AI market size is estimated to grow from USD 214.6 billion in 2024 to USD 1,339.1 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 35.7%. AI has become an enabler of productivity and innovation. A Forbes Advisor survey conducted in 2023 reported that 56% of businesses use AI to optimise their operations and drive efficiency. Further, 51% use AI for cybersecurity and fraud management, 47% employ AI-powered digital assistants to enhance productivity and 46% use AI to manage customer relationships.
AI has revolutionised business functions. According to a Forbes survey, 40% of businesses rely on AI for inventory management, 35% harness AI for content production and optimisation and 33% deploy AI-driven product recommendation systems for enhanced customer engagement. This blog addresses the opportunities and challenges posed by integrating AI into operational efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence and its resultant Operational Efficiency
AI has exemplary optimisation or efficiency capabilities and is widely used to do repetitive tasks. These tasks include payroll processing, data entry, inventory management, patient registration, invoicing, claims processing, and others. AI use has been incorporated into such tasks as it can uncover complex patterns using NLP, machine learning, and deep learning beyond human capabilities. It has also shown promise in improving the decision-making process for businesses in time-critical, high-pressure situations.
AI-driven efficiency is visible in industries such as the manufacturing industry for predictive maintenance, in the healthcare industry for streamlining diagnostics and in logistics for route optimisation. Some of the most common real-world examples of AI increasing operational efficiency are self-driving cars (Tesla), facial recognition (Apple Face ID), language translation (Google Translate), and medical diagnosis (IBM Watson Health)
Harnessing AI has advantages as it helps optimise the supply chain, extend product life cycles, and ultimately conserve resources and cut operational costs.
Policy Implications for AI Deployment
Some of the policy implications for development for AI deployment are as follows:
- Develop clear and adaptable regulatory frameworks for the ongoing and future developments in AI. The frameworks need to ensure that innovation is not hindered while managing the potential risks.
- As AI systems rely on high-quality data that is accessible and interoperable to function effectively and without proper data governance, these systems may produce results that are biased, inaccurate and unreliable. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure data privacy as it is essential to maintain trust and prevent harm to individuals and organisations.
- Policy developers need to focus on creating policies that upskill the workforce which complements AI development and therefore job displacement.
- To ensure cross-border applicability and efficiency of standardising AI policies, the policy-makers need to ensure that international cooperation is achieved when developing the policies.
Addressing Challenges and Risks
Some of the main challenges that emerge with the development of AI are algorithmic bias, cybersecurity threats and the dependence on exclusive AI solutions or where the company retains exclusive control over the source codes. Some policy approaches that can be taken to mitigate these challenges are:
- Having a robust accountability mechanism.
- Establishing identity and access management policies that have technical controls like authentication and authorisation mechanisms.
- Ensure that the learning data that AI systems use follows ethical considerations such as data privacy, fairness in decision-making, transparency, and the interpretability of AI models.
Conclusion
AI can contribute and provide opportunities to drive operational efficiency in businesses. It can be an optimiser for productivity and costs and foster innovation for different industries. But this power of AI comes with its own considerations and therefore, it must be balanced with proactive policies that address the challenges that emerge such as the need for data governance, algorithmic bias and risks associated with cybersecurity. A solution to overcome these challenges is establishing an adaptable regulatory framework, fostering workforce upskilling and promoting international collaborations. As businesses integrate AI into core functions, it becomes necessary to leverage its potential while safeguarding fairness, transparency, and trust. AI is not just an efficiency tool, it has become a stimulant for organisations operating in a rapidly evolving digital world.
References
- https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/artificial-intelligence/ai-indian-businesses-long-term-gain-operational-efficiency-9717072/
- https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/artificial-intelligence-market-74851580.html
- https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2024/08/06/smart-automation-ais-impact-on-operational-efficiency/
- https://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/ai/articles/ai-operational-excellence
- https://www.leewayhertz.com/ai-for-operational-efficiency/
- https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2024/11/04/bringing-ai-to-the-enterprise-challenges-and-considerations/

Introduction
Assisted Reproductive Technology (“ART”) refers to a diverse set of medical procedures designed to aid individuals or couples in achieving pregnancy when conventional methods are unsuccessful. This umbrella term encompasses various fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and gamete and embryo manipulation. ART procedures involve the manipulation of both male and female reproductive components to facilitate conception.
The dynamic landscape of data flows within the healthcare sector, notably in the realm of ART, demands a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between privacy regulations and medical practices. In this context, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices And Procedures And Sensitive Personal Data Or Information) Rules, 2011, play a pivotal role, designating health information as "sensitive personal data or information" and underscoring the importance of safeguarding individuals' privacy. This sensitivity is particularly pronounced in the ART sector, where an array of personal data, ranging from medical records to genetic information, is collected and processed. The recent Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, in conjunction with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, establishes a framework for the regulation of ART clinics and banks, presenting a layered approach to data protection.
A note on data generated by ART
Data flows in any sector are scarcely uniform and often not easily classified under straight-jacket categories. Consequently, mapping and identifying data and its types become pivotal. It is believed that most data flows in the healthcare sector are highly sensitive and personal in nature, which may severely compromise the privacy and safety of an individual if breached. The Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices And Procedures And Sensitive Personal Data Or Information) Rules, 2011 (“SPDI Rules”) categorizes any information pertaining to physical, physiological, mental conditions or medical records and history as “sensitive personal data or information”; this definition is broad enough to encompass any data collected by any ART facility or equipment. These include any information collected during the screening of patients, pertaining to ovulation and menstrual cycles, follicle and sperm count, ultrasound results, blood work etc. It also includes pre-implantation genetic testing on embryos to detect any genetic abnormality.
But data flows extend beyond mere medical procedures and technology. Health data also involves any medical procedures undertaken, the amount of medicine and drugs administered during any procedure, its resultant side effects, recovery etc. Any processing of the above-mentioned information, in turn, may generate more personal data points relating to an individual’s political affiliations, race, ethnicity, genetic data such as biometrics and DNA etc.; It is seen that different ethnicities and races react differently to the same/similar medication and have different propensities to genetic diseases. Further, it is to be noted that data is not only collected by professionals but also by intelligent equipment like AI which may be employed by any facility to render their service. Additionally, dissemination of information under exceptional circumstances (e.g. medical emergency) also affects how data may be classified. Considerations are further nuanced when the fundamental right to identity of a child conceived and born via ART may be in conflict with the fundamental right to privacy of a donor to remain anonymous.
Intersection of Privacy laws and ART laws:
In India, ART technology is regulated by the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 (“ART Act”). With this, the Union aims to regulate and supervise assisted reproductive technology clinics and ART banks, prevent misuse and ensure safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services. When read with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act”) and other ancillary guidelines, the two legislations provide some framework regulations for the digital privacy of health-based apps.
The ART Act establishes a National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Registry (“National Registry”) which acts as a central database for all clinics and banks and their nature of services. The Act also establishes a National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board (“National Board”) under the Surrogacy Act to monitor the implementation of the act and advise the central government on policy matters. It also supervises the functioning of the National Registry, liaises with State Boards and curates a code of conduct for professionals working in ART clinics and banks. Under the DPDP Act, these bodies (i.e. National Board, State Board, ART clinics and banks) are most likely classified as data fiduciaries (primarily clinics and banks), data processors (these may include National Board and State boards) or an amalgamation of both (these include any appropriate authority established under the ART Act for investigation of complaints, suspend or cancellation of registration of clinics etc.) depending on the nature of work undertaken by them. If so classified, then the duties and liabilities of data fiduciaries and processors would necessarily apply to these bodies. As a result, all bodies would necessarily have to adopt Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) and other organizational measures to ensure compliance with privacy laws in place. This may be considered one of the most critical considerations of any ART facility since any data collected by them would be sensitive personal data pertaining to health, regulated by the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices And Procedures And Sensitive Personal Data Or Information) Rules, 2011 (“SPDI Rules 2011”). These rules provide for how sensitive personal data or information are to be collected, handled and processed by anyone.
The ART Act independently also provides for the duties of ART clinics and banks in the country. ART clinics and banks are required to inform the commissioning couple/woman of all procedures undertaken and all costs, risks, advantages, and side effects of their selected procedure. It mandatorily ensures that all information collected by such clinics and banks to not informed to anyone except the database established by the National Registry or in cases of medical emergency or on order of court. Data collected by clinics and banks (these include details on donor oocytes, sperm or embryos used or unused) are required to be detailed and must be submitted to the National Registry online. ART banks are also required to collect personal information of donors including name, Aadhar number, address and any other details. By mandating online submission, the ART Act is harmonized with the DPDP Act, which regulates all digital personal data and emphasises free, informed consent.
Conclusion
With the increase in active opt-ins for ART, data privacy becomes a vital consideration for all healthcare facilities and professionals. Safeguard measures are not only required on a corporate level but also on a governmental level. It is to be noted that in the 262 Session of the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reported 165 data breach incidents involving citizen data from January 2018 to October 2023 from the Central Identities Data Repository despite publicly denying. This discovery puts into question the safety and integrity of data that may be submitted to the National Registry database, especially given the type of data (both personal and sensitive information) it aims to collate. At present the ART Act is well supported by the DPDP Act. However, further judicial and legislative deliberations are required to effectively regulate and balance the interests of all stakeholders.
References
- The Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices And Procedures And Sensitive Personal Data Or Information) Rules, 2011
- Caring for Intimate Data in Fertility Technologies https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3411764.3445132
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
- https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/pharmacogenomics-and-race-can-heritage-affect-drug-disposition

Executive Summary:
A video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going viral across multiple social media platforms. In the clip, PM Modi is purportedly heard praising Christianity and stating that only Jesus Christ can lead people to heaven.Several users are sharing and commenting on the video, believing it to be genuine. The CyberPeace researched the viral claim and found it to be false. The circulating video has been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Claim:
On January 29, 2026, a Facebook user named ‘Khaju Damor’ posted the viral video of PM Modi. The post gained traction, with many users sharing and commenting on it as if it were authentic. (Links and archived versions provided)

Fact Check:
As part of our research , we first closely examined the viral video. Upon careful observation, several inconsistencies were noticed. The Prime Minister’s facial expressions and hand movements appeared unnatural. The lip-sync and overall visual presentation also raised suspicions about the clip being digitally manipulated. To verify this further, we analyzed the video using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation. The tool’s analysis indicated a 99% probability that the video was AI-generated.

To independently confirm the findings, we also ran the clip through another detection platform, Undetectable.ai. Its analysis likewise indicated a very high likelihood that the video was created using artificial intelligence.

Conclusion:
Our research confirms that the viral video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising Christianity and making the alleged statement about heaven is fake. The clip has been generated using AI tools and does not depict a real statement made by the Prime Minister.