#FactCheck - Viral Video of Burning Aircraft Falsely Linked to UAE, Found to Be AI-Generated
Executive Summary:
A video is being shared on social media showing an aircraft engulfed in massive flames on an airport runway. The video is being linked to the UAE. It is being claimed that a UAE airport was completely destroyed due to recent drone and missile attacks by Iran. Research by the CyberPeace found the viral claim to be false. Our research revealed that the viral video is not real, but AI-generated.
Claim:
On social media platform Facebook, a user shared the viral video on March 3, 2026, and wrote, “Amid the Iran-US-Israel conflict in the Middle East, operations at several major airports, including Dubai International Airport, have been temporarily suspended, causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays. Due to multiple missile and drone attacks from Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had shut its airspace, and limited structural damage at Dubai Airport was also confirmed, with reports of four staff members being injured. Later, considering the security situation, a limited number of flights were resumed, but full operations are still delayed due to ongoing safety concerns. This tension has significantly impacted regional aviation, travel, and global flight routes.”
Fact Check:
To verify the viral video, we searched relevant keywords on Google. However, we did not find any credible media report confirming the claim.However, we found a video report on the YouTube channel of CNN-News18 mentioning explosions near Dubai Airport after a suspected Iranian drone strike. But the visuals shown in that report are completely different from the viral video.
Upon closely examining the viral video, we noticed several inconsistencies, raising suspicion that it might be AI-generated. We then analyzed the video using the AI detection tool Sightengine. The results indicated that the video is 71 percent likely to be AI-generated.
Conclusion:
Our research found that the viral video is not real, but AI-generated.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A video is being widely shared on social media showing a purported CRPF trooper accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of corruption. In the video, the individual is also seen urging people to vote the BJP government out of power. CyberPeace Research Wing research found that the video was created using artificial intelligence (AI). There is no evidence that any CRPF personnel made such statements.
Claim
An Instagram user shared the viral video, claiming that a CRPF trooper was criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over corruption allegations. The post link, archived link, and screenshot are provided below. https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZ_dbj_SNTf/ , https://www.awesomescreenshot.com/video/53998219?key=46c661b505ba61d19e7d9be97a17c273
FactCheck
A closer examination of the video revealed several inconsistencies. The name tag on the uniform displayed only “CRPF,” which does not match the standard naming format used on official CRPF uniforms. Additionally, several faces visible in the background appeared blurred and distorted, which are common indicators of AI-generated content. We also noticed a visible Grok watermark in the bottom-right corner of the viral clip, suggesting that the video may have been generated or modified using artificial intelligence. Further analysis was conducted using Hive Moderation’s AI detection tool, which indicated the presence of AI-generated or deepfake elements in the video.
To further verify the authenticity of the clip, we analyzed it using Deepfake-O-Meter. The tool indicated a probability of more than 95 percent that the video was generated using artificial intelligence.
Conclusion
The viral video purportedly showing a CRPF trooper criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government is AI-generated. Multiple indicators, AI detection tools, and the clarification issued by the government’s PIB Fact Check confirm that the video is not authentic.
Executive Summary
Amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, and reports of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz affecting cargo ship movement and global crude oil prices, several posts on social media have made a viral claim. The posts allege that Indian cargo vessels are being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after payments to Iran were made in Chinese currency, the yuan. The claim has been widely circulated from certain social media accounts, suggesting a shift in India’s trade and payment arrangements. However, a fact-check by CyberPeace Research Wing has found the claim to be false.
Claim
A social media user “MEHF voice 2.0” shared a viral post (archived link), claiming that an Indian oil tanker secured passage through the Strait of Hormuz by making payments in Chinese yuan. The post further suggested that India had formed a new alignment with China, bypassing the US dollar system.
Fact Check
Due to US sanctions, Iran is excluded from the international banking network SWIFT, which prevents direct trade settlements in US dollars or euros. As a result, India and Iran conduct trade through a specially designed rupee–rial payment mechanism. According to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry release (based on a written reply in Parliament), India and Iran established this arrangement to facilitate bilateral trade using local currencies instead of the US dollar.
Further, information from the Indian Embassy in Tehran notes that rupee-based payments are processed through UCO Bank and Iranian banks with vostro accounts, enabling trade settlement outside sanctioned banking channels. IDBI Bank has also been part of efforts to expand rupee-based transactions with Iran.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ official fact-check handle has also debunked this claim, confirming that it is false.
Conclusion
The viral claim that Indian oil tankers are paying in Chinese yuan to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is false. India and Iran conduct trade settlements through a rupee–rial payment mechanism, not through the Chinese currency.
Introduction
India officially became part of the US-led Pax Silica project on February 20, 2026, at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. This was a significant milestone in India’s involvement in global technology and supply chain cooperation. India joined a coalition of advanced economies by signing the Pax Silica Declaration in a move aimed at strengthening coordination over technology supply chains on which artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals and advanced manufacturing rely. The entry of India into the global technology landscape is indicative of India’s growing role in the global technology order and reflects broader shifts in how countries are responding to the geopolitics of silicon and AI infrastructure.
What Is Pax Silica and Why It Matters
The United States Department of State introduced Pax Silica as a strategic program launched in December 2025. It seeks to establish safe, resilient and innovation-driven supply chains for emerging technologies that are the foundations of the AI era. This encompasses activities ranging from mining and refining of rare earths, gallium and germanium to semiconductor manufacturing, the creation of advanced computing hardware and energy infrastructure. The project describes cooperation as a method of reducing what are termed as coercive dependencies on any one supplier or economy, thereby supporting sustained access to building blocks of state-of-the-art technology.
Pax Silica derives its name from the Latin terms for 'peace' and the substrate material of 'silicon', meaning that the coalition aims at achieving stability and prosperity by working together in supply chains of technology. Early signatories were the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands, Greece, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. India was the twelfth member to sign the declaration.
India’s Strategic Interests in Pax Silica
The move to join Pax Silica is both a diplomatic and economic decision. The incorporation of India into a network led ostensibly by the Western bloc and containing developed economy players in the technological supply chain creates the messaging that it wants to be more deeply integrated into the global high-tech ecosystems.
India currently relies on importing a large proportion of the chips for its electronics production sector, while its domestic manufacturing capacity remains limited. Pax Silica membership could provide Indian firms with advanced manufacturing equipment, process expertise and joint ventures with their partners, who have already developed the fabrication capabilities.
The signing of the declaration was done by the current Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) , the Union Minister, who noted that India is expanding its technological capabilities and future ambitions. He observed that the Indian engineers already play a role in designing advanced semiconductor chips and that the increase in semiconductor capacity will demand a professional workforce. He also emphasised that the availability of international tools and alliances would help accelerate India’s growth in this sector.
Another strategic area is the critical minerals. India is estimated to have significant rare earth reserves, but the resources remain largely underdeveloped. The diversification strategy of Pax Silica in terms of supply and processing routes provides India with an opportunity to have joint ventures and infrastructure projects that could help unlock domestic mineral potential within the country.
Supply Chains, AI, and Geopolitical Context
Pax Silica has emerged within a broader geopolitical and supply chain context rather than as a purely economic initiative. The last few years have placed a strain on global technology supply chains with disruptions caused by pandemics, trade tensions, export controls, and the concentrated control of some components of the value chain. China currently dominates in the refinement of rare earths as well as in a variety of legacy semiconductor manufacturing. The concentration has raised concerns about resilience and strategic autonomy among the technology-producing democracies.
This initiative is based on the premise that a diversified and trusted supply chain will make the economic security of countries participating in Pax Silica more secure in case of a trade embargo or as a tool of political leverage. The voluntary and non-binding framework by the coalition only provides a guide to cooperation instead of a binding commitment, though it highlights an acknowledgement of risk and opportunity in global technology markets.
Such concerns as strategic autonomy and the extent of India’s involvement in the initiative have been expressed by those who criticise it, particularly because the coalition is perceived to be partially designed to respond to Chinese dominance in the most important technological sectors. Some analysts have also suggested that India will have to balance its participation in Pax Silica by taking special care of its own interests and alliances outside this coalition.
Economic and Industrial Implications for India
Joining Pax Silica offers India potential benefits on multiple fronts.
Strengthening Innovation and Manufacturing Ecosystems
India's membership will allow cooperation in semiconductor production, development of advanced computing infrastructure and implementation of AI. The government and industry players could attract investments through partnerships, technology transfer and joint R&D. India’s emerging design and fabrication projects could use a greater international integration in this venture.
Talent and Skills Development
A recurring theme among Indian policymakers is the issue of a skilled workforce. As the world semiconductor and AI sector is expected to need millions of specialists in the next 10 years, India’s large talent pool presents an opportunity to produce local talent that is capable of catering to local demands as well as international supply needs. Initiatives linked to Pax Silica have the potential to establish training pathways and institutional bridges that facilitate workforce preparedness.
Diversification of Supply Partnerships
In the case of India, the diversification of suppliers and partners goes beyond the availability of materials and technologies. It also implies reducing exposure to supply shocks and enhancing resilience in important industries such as consumer electronics, automotive manufacturing, defence systems and digital infrastructure, all of which rely on semiconductors and advanced computing hardware.
Broader Industrial Readiness and Domestic Challenges
India’s participation in Pax Silica highlights the domestic conditions required to support advanced technology manufacturing. A conducive environment will depend on reliable infrastructure, regulatory stability, specialised industrial clusters and sustained policy coordination across government and industry. Semiconductor and AI hardware production are resource-intensive, requiring significant energy, water and chemical management, making environmental safeguards and sustainable industrial planning essential to prevent long-term ecological strain.
At the same time, India faces gaps in its human resource development ecosystem. While engineering talent is abundant, specialised training in semiconductor fabrication, materials science and advanced manufacturing remains limited. Additionally, the relative lack of applied research and development initiatives aimed at reducing technological and financial risks may constrain large-scale industrial expansion, underscoring the need for stronger industry–academia collaboration and targeted innovation support.
Conclusion: A Strategic Step into the AI Era
India’s formal entry into the Pax Silica initiative at the 2026 India AI Impact Summit reflects a thoughtful recalibration of its global technology engagement. By aligning with a coalition aimed at securing the supply chains that make modern digital economies possible, India has signalled its intent to be more than just a consumer of technology. It seeks to help shape the infrastructure, partnerships and norms that will define the next generation of AI, semiconductors and critical technologies.
While questions around strategic autonomy and long-term dependencies remain important considerations, Pax Silica offers India access to networks, capabilities and collaborative frameworks that can accelerate its semiconductor ambitions and broaden its role in the global tech order. The move underscores how technology cooperation today increasingly interacts with geopolitics, economic strategy and national aspirations for growth and innovation.
Sources
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/what-is-pax-silica-and-why-does-india-joining-the-ai-supply-chain-alliance-matter/articleshow/128594775.cms
- https://paxsilica.org/f/pax-silica-securing-the-foundations-of-the-ai-era
- https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/ai-impact-summit-2026-india-set-to-join-us-led-pax-silica-today-517167-2026-02-20
- https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/pax-silica-india-joins-us-supply-chain-initiative-ai-impact-summit-2026-126022000339_1.html
