India blocks Turkey's TRT World, Chinese state media Global Times, Xinhua over misinformation on Op Sindoor
New Delhi: India on Wednesday blocked the official X account of Turkish state broadcaster TRT World, following forensic links between Turkish-origin drones and Pakistan's recent airspace violations. The same day, the government also took down the X handles of Chinese state-run outlets Global Times and Xinhua for spreading misleading narratives about the Indian military amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.
Misinformation triggers action
The move came after Global Times published a report—sourced from Xinhua and quoting Pakistani military officials—claiming that Pakistan had shot down another Indian fighter jet in response to Indian airstrikes.
The post stated, “This is the third Indian fighter jet that has been shot down in response to the overnight strikes, said the military sources: Xinhua.”
Reacting swiftly, the Indian Embassy in Beijing urged Global Times to verify its content before publishing such claims.
“Dear Global Times, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation,” it posted.
(1/n) Dear @globaltimesnews , we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information. https://t.co/xMvN6hmrhe
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 7, 2025
The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check Unit has been actively countering misinformation amid the escalating tensions.
Numerous misleading images and claims were found to be either manipulated, taken out of context, or repurposed from unrelated or past incidents.
Ongoing tensions with China
This development follows another diplomatic flashpoint in which China released a new set of Chinese names for locations in Arunachal Pradesh—a move India strongly denounced.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have noticed that China has persisted with its vain and preposterous attempts to name places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Consistent with our principled position, we reject such attempts categorically.”
Global Times is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s People's Daily, while Xinhua serves as China's official news agency.
Users trying to access their X accounts now see the message: “Account withheld. @trtworld has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
TRT World flagged for false reporting
TRT World was accused of circulating misinformation and fake news following India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 6 and 7, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The decision to block the Turkish broadcaster also follows the Ministry of External Affairs' observation of Turkey's open support for Pakistan during the military operation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had recently posted: “Long live Pakistan-Turkey friendship!”
TRT World’s website and Instagram page, however, remain accessible in India.
Mass drone intrusion thwarted by India
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi outlined the scale of Pakistan’s provocation, stating that on the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani military repeatedly violated Indian airspace along the western front and used heavy caliber weapons across the Line of Control.
She said, “Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations. The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence.”
Preliminary forensic reports suggest these drones were Turkish Asisguard Songar models.
Operation Sindoor in retaliation for Pahalgam attack
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a major counterterror strike, targeting nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoK.
The operation was carried out in response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.
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