Deepfake Video Falsely Attributes Hindutva Army Comments to Amit Shah

Indian authorities have identified a deepfake video falsely depicting Home Minister Amit Shah making inflammatory remarks about the Indian Army as a fabrication created using artificial intelligence. The video, which began circulating on social media platforms ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, purported to show Shah referring to the Indian Army as the “Army of Hindutva” and the “Army of the RSS.”

The manipulated footage shows what appears to be Shah claiming, “The Indian Army is the army of Hindutva, the army of the RSS. This is not the army of any Muslim, any Dalit, or any Christian.” The fabricated clip further suggested that the Home Minister stated anyone with objections to this characterization “should go to Pakistan.”

Fact-checking organization Vishvas News conducted a detailed investigation into the video and confirmed it to be a sophisticated deepfake. The organization found that the creators had digitally altered footage from Shah’s legitimate campaign rally in Munger, Bihar, held on October 25, 2025.

Investigators identified several telltale signs of manipulation, including blurring around the speaker’s lips and unnatural synchronization between lip movements and audio. The fact-checkers verified their findings by examining Shah’s original speech, which was live-streamed on his official YouTube channel, and confirmed that the controversial statements were nowhere in the authentic footage.

To strengthen their investigation, Vishvas News partnered with the Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), an initiative of the Trusted Information Alliance, which deployed specialized detection tools to analyze the video. Hive AI’s video detection system identified multiple segments displaying signs of AI manipulation, while the University of Buffalo’s Deepfake-O-Meter tool confirmed these findings.

AI and emerging technology researcher Azhar Machwe also examined the footage and confirmed it had been edited using artificial intelligence technologies.

This incident represents a concerning trend in the proliferation of politically motivated deepfakes in India, particularly during election seasons. The video emerged just days before the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and 11, 2025, potentially aiming to influence voters or sow division.

The Shah deepfake follows another recent manipulated video that targeted Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, falsely depicting him discussing the “saffronisation” of the Indian Army. The appearance of these sophisticated forgeries in quick succession highlights the growing challenge of combating AI-generated misinformation during sensitive political periods.

Security analysts note that deepfakes represent a significant threat to electoral integrity and national security, as they can be used to misrepresent public figures and potentially inflame tensions around sensitive issues like military neutrality and religious politics.

The viral post was shared by a Facebook user named “Annu Malik,” who has approximately 2,000 followers on the platform. Facebook and other social media companies have faced increasing pressure to develop more effective detection systems for deepfake content, particularly those targeting political figures during election periods.

As AI technology becomes more accessible, authorities warn that the sophistication and prevalence of such fabricated content will likely increase, requiring heightened vigilance from both institutions and the public.