How False Claims About Shivangi Singh Spread During India-Pakistan Strife
If you spent any time on social media recently, you probably stumbled across some wild rumors about an Indian fighter pilot being captured across the border. This time, the target was Shivangi Singh, the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) first female Rafale pilot—a woman who’s already made history, not headlines for the wrong reasons.
It all started after India was rocked by the brutal Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. In response, the Indian military kicked off ‘Operation Sindoor’—a move that ramped up border tensions with Pakistan yet again. The more the situation heated up, the more fake news started bubbling up online. Pro-Pakistan accounts didn’t waste a second: doctored footage, manipulated images, and dramatic stories about Indian pilots began making rounds. This time, they picked out Shivangi Singh—claiming she had been captured following a supposed air skirmish near Sialkot. The catch? Not a shred of real evidence.
The gossip spread quickly. A few careless outlets even ran with the story, amplifying the drama and panic before checking the facts. But India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) wasn’t having any of it. Officials made it abundantly clear—no Indian pilot is missing, let alone been captured, and certainly not Singh. By stepping in quickly and firmly, they put the brakes on panic and reminded everyone how easily misinformation can erode trust, especially when there’s already a tinderbox of tension at the border.
Shivangi Singh: More Than a Viral Sensation
So, who is Shivangi Singh, really? Long before she was at the center of social media storms, Singh was just a young woman with her head literally in the clouds. Born in Varanasi, she found her wings in the National Cadet Corps Air Wing while studying at Banaras Hindu University. That early fascination led her all the way to the IAF in 2017, where she joined as part of only the second wave of women fighter pilots. Her skill and determination landed her in the elite Golden Arrows Squadron—the same unit famous for flying the Rafale jets based out of Ambala, Punjab.
Singh didn’t just join the squad—she broke new ground by becoming the first Indian woman to fly the Rafale during operations. If anything, her journey shows what grit and focus can do, even in places long dominated by men. But her high-profile role also makes her an easy mark for disinformation, especially when India and Pakistan go head-to-head on both the battlefield and the information front.
The latest wave of rumors included fake videos and images—some showing altered visuals that had nothing to do with reality. In a world where news travels faster than ever and anyone can hit “share” without a second thought, these kinds of attacks don’t just threaten national morale, they seriously risk misinforming millions.
Authorities continue to warn against repeating claims and images that haven’t been checked. Especially now, when diplomatic wires are hot and every new rumor can make tensions worse, accuracy is everything. For Singh and other women carving out roles in India’s defense forces, this episode is just one more hurdle—but not one that’s going to ground her career, or her spirit, anytime soon.
