In a video widely circulating on social media platforms, former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande claims that the Indian Army has become an “ethnic force” and is allegedly influenced by Israeli instructors, making controversial statements.
General Pande is allegedly heard saying in the video:
“Do you know the biggest loss of supporting Israel? Our Indian Army has always been trained to be an ethical force. Currently, ethnic groups are becoming more powerful. Remember my words. This situation is heading towards full-blown rebellion. We have all seen what is happening in Assam. Our military is trained by Israeli instructors whose first instruction was that Muslims, Sikhs, Lemmas, and Kukis are all not human. They first teach them how to dehumanize them, and then they are oppressed. This is not good. If things continue like this, there will be an internal rebellion.”
Also read: West Asia Crisis – 2020 Ajman Market Video Shared as Dubai Airport Big Fire
evidence
Keyword searches for “General Manoj Pande,” “Indian Army,” and “Israel” yielded no reliable media reports or official records to support his having made such statements.
A search for keyframes of the viral clip on Google Lens then led to an X post by news agency PTI dated March 14, 2026, where a watermark was visible on the viral clip.
The video showed General Pande wearing the same outfit and background as seen in the viral clip, and quoted him as saying:We live in a complex world. We must be able to not only meet current security challenges, but also anticipate the future. Once you have predicted it, you must prepare accordingly. We need capabilities that will enable us to fight future wars effectively. The military must be ready for the future…”
Nowhere in the authentic speech does he mention Israeli instructors or minorities or describe the Indian army as an “ethnic army.”
Additionally, AI voice detection tools such as Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector and Undetectable AI have detected audio in viral clips as “likely deepfake” and “likely AI-generated,” respectively.
The government’s PIB fact-checking arm also flagged the video as manipulated and confirmed that the former army chief did not make the alleged statements.
Also read: Did Israeli journalists admit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s death? No, video goes viral with false claims
verdict
A viral video purporting to show former Army chief Manoj Pande warning that the Indian Army is becoming an “ethnic force” has been digitally manipulated.
FAQ
Q1. Did General Manoj Pande actually refer to the Indian Army as a “national army”?
No, there is no reliable recording or authentic video of him making such a statement.
Q2. How was the viral video manipulated?
The original visuals were retained, but the audio was replaced with AI-generated audio content and fabricated statements were inserted.
Q3. Did any public authorities react to this viral clip?
yes. PIB Fact Check confirmed that the video was manipulated and that the remarks attributed to the former army chief were fake.
Q4. Are deepfake videos like this targeting Indian officials common?
yes. In recent years, multiple military officials and political leaders have been targeted with AI-generated or edited videos aimed at spreading misinformation and stirring up controversy.
source of information
Posted by PTI on March 14, 2026
Posted by X PIB Fact Check on March 16, 2026
Undetectable AI websites
Hiya Deepfake Audio Detector
