Sergey Lavrov and S Jaishankar deepfake video — Nov 2026
Authorities debunked AI-generated deepfake videos targeting Indian and Russian foreign ministers in an attempt to disrupt diplomatic relations before the SCO.
- Reported date
- Nov 3, 2026
- Target
- Sergey Lavrov and S Jaishankar
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
Indian and Russian authorities have officially rebutted a series of deepfake videos and social media posts that falsely depicted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticizing one another. The coordinated disinformation campaign sought to manufacture diplomatic friction between the two nations.
What happened
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Russian Embassy in India identified and debunked multiple instances of digital manipulation. The MEA’s fact-check unit addressed a viral post falsely attributed to S Jaishankar, which claimed he expressed disappointment regarding a sarcastic response from his Russian counterpart concerning peace efforts in Ukraine. Simultaneously, a deepfake video shared by a senior Supreme Court advocate was identified as AI-generated content that falsely portrayed Sergey Lavrov criticizing India.
Security sources suggest that these materials were likely produced by Pakistani handlers. The timing of the campaign is considered significant, as it emerged shortly before the SCO Civilisational Dialogue scheduled to take place in Delhi. By circulating these fabricated interactions, the actors aimed to damage the established ties between India and Russia. Both Indian and Russian officials have issued warnings regarding the escalating threat of AI-generated misinformation and its potential to destabilize international relations.