Ministry of External Affairs FactCheck unit has firmly rejected viral claims that alleged a deadly fire or attack at a joint India–Israel drone production facility in New Delhi. The misleading narrative circulated widely on social media platforms.
Several posts falsely claimed that a blaze or sabotage incident occurred at a facility linked to the IAI Harop drone programme.
The posts further alleged that up to fifty Indian and Israeli workers died in the incident. These claims appeared in multiple languages, including Arabic, Pashto, and English.
Certain accounts, including @llliua_ and @Rohani808, amplified the fabricated reports and alleged that supporters of Iran orchestrated sabotage against the facility.
The MEA’s verification unit clarified that no such incident took place. Officials confirmed that the circulating footage did not relate to any India-Israel defence installation.
Fake News Alert!
This is Fake News.
Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims on social media! pic.twitter.com/vtqwmdj4nQ
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) March 12, 2026
Instead, the videos originated from unrelated accidents and older incidents that occurred elsewhere.
Authorities stated that individuals deliberately recycled these visuals to create a false narrative around India’s defence collaboration with Israel.
Independent verification also showed that no credible news organisations reported any fire, explosion, or security breach at a drone facility in New Delhi.
The absence of reliable confirmation further exposed the viral claims as misinformation.
Officials warned that such fabricated stories form part of broader information warfare campaigns.
These efforts often attempt to undermine strategic partnerships and defence cooperation between countries.
The MEA reiterated that India continues to maintain transparent defence engagements with international partners.
Authorities urged the public to rely on verified information and avoid sharing unconfirmed reports circulating on social media platforms.
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