MEA rejects report of India-Israel defence pact as 'fake news, AI-generated'
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday dismissed as fake a report claiming that India had approached Israel for a defence pact following the security agreement signed between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The ministry said the claim was generated using artificial intelligence and warned against sharing such content.
The report, published by Turkish outlet Straturka and later circulated on social media, alleged that New Delhi had initiated talks with Tel Aviv to counter the emerging trilateral security arrangement. The story cited unnamed Pakistani sources. The MEA’s Fact Check unit posted a screenshot of the report on X and labelled it false, advising users to be cautious about malicious posts created using AI.
“We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms which use AI to create fake content!” the ministry’s Fact Check wing said in its post.
The false claim surfaced in the context of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The agreement aims to deepen military and security cooperation among the three countries. Pakistan has described it as a collective-deterrence arrangement, stating that an armed attack on any one signatory would be treated as an attack on all three.
The agreement has drawn attention in New Delhi. Responding to queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was closely monitoring the development. “We are also closely following this development, and we shall keep you updated,” he said at the ministry’s weekly briefing.
The MEA’s clarification came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership and reviewed cooperation across several areas. The conversation focused on existing bilateral ties, not on any new defence pact linked to the Pakistan-Saudi-Turkey agreement.
This incident highlights the growing challenge of AI-generated misinformation in international affairs. The MEA’s prompt response underscores the need for vigilance against fabricated news stories that can shape public perception and diplomatic narratives. Readers are advised to verify information through official channels before sharing.
