PIB Fact Check: Did Pakistan capture IAF's Rafale pilot Shivani Singh? Know truth

Amid India Pakistan war, fake news has been continuously spreading across X, WhatsApp and other social media channels. However, one story has been making rounds regarding an Indian Air Force Rafael female pilot has been captured by Pakistan. The viral claim on social media is false as confirmed by the government. The information has been fact checked by the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit on Saturday, according to which, the reports are fake. PIB also asked the general public to avoid being caught in the trap of misinformation. 

Social media posts regarding this report claim that the Pakistani authorities had taken female Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Shivani Singh into custody. The story went viral after many social media accounts sharing the posts. The post was widely shared by pro-Pakistani handles. According to the PIB fact check another claim regarding the Indian pilot ejecting over PoK is also false. However, the PIB Fact Check unit responded, saying, “Pro-Pakistan social media handles claim that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan. This claim is FAKE!”

 May 10, 2025

"Indian Pilot Ejected Over PoK? Here’s the Truth! Posts on social media claim that an Indian pilot ejected from a fighter jet over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)," wrote PIB on its X handle.

The false claim has been making rounds on social media amid India Pakistan tension that have heightened after Pakistan escalated the situation with firing and drone attacks across the LoC. India also followed this by striking on terror camps across the border. Soon after, fake news regarding Pakistan and India's attacks on both sides started being heavily shared through social media. This created a lot of confusion and took away people's attention from the reality on ground. 

May 10, 2025

PIB has since then debunking such false claims regarding any attacks or information regarding India Pakistan war. Prior to this, the fact check unit also denied another viral post that claimed Pakistan had destroyed India’s S-400 air defence system. The PIB when fact checked the claim debunked it as false. 

The PIB’s Fact Check unit has requested the general public to be aware and cautious while consuming or sharing ant India Pakistan related information online. They asked social media users to trust only official sources and avoid spreading unverified content that could potentially create panic.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) also released a comprehensive alert regarding the spread of misinformation. It requested citizens to stay cautious and alert and not forward posts without confirming their authenticity. “Always follow cybersecurity precautions. Don’t fall for fake news or panic-inducing messages,” MeitY said in its advisory.