By Dimitris Dimitriadis | Published on Sept. 4, 2024

Contributing reporting by Joe Stonor 

NewsGuard has uncovered a network of nearly 1,500 fake accounts on Facebook and X that appears to be engaged in a coordinated effort to promote pro-India content, bolster the image of the Narendra Modi-led administration, and undermine Pakistan. The network has operated undetected until now since September 2021 — an unusually long run for a network with such a large footprint. 

NewsGuard could not definitively identify the people responsible for the network, which includes at least 1,409 accounts on Facebook and X using AI to generate content. However, the network exhibits characteristics that point to a link to the Indian Army, including frequent promotion of pro-government narratives and posts aligned with military interests. 

Having operated since at least September 2021 without being identified, this is among the largest and most enduring “influence operations” or “psy-ops” that has been attributed to India, a major U.S. ally and global geopolitical powerhouse. (Influence operations or psy-ops, short for psychological operations, are coordinated efforts to influence public opinion, often using misinformation or propaganda.) 

The 500 Facebook and 904 X accounts uncovered by NewsGuard publish as many as 10 identical posts a day — often simultaneously — promoting Indian state-sponsored and pro-Army messages. The accounts, which feature apparently fake profile names and pictures, often repost content from pro-Indian government and army outlets including ANI News (NewsGuard Trust Score: 10/100) and Hindustan Times, as well as X accounts and sites with known ties to the Indian military. 

Using an artificial intelligence detection tool, NewsGuard found that the posts published by the network of fake accounts were, according to the tool, “highly likely” generated by AI, which allows networks such as this one to rapidly produce and disseminate large amounts of content. NewsGuard’s finding follows several reports raising concerns about the increasing use of AI to supercharge state-sponsored “influence campaigns” including “Spamouflage,” a pro-China network that regularly posts divisive content about the U.S.  

The posts typically promote propaganda rather than provably false claims. However, the network exhibits all the hallmarks of “inauthentic behavior,” a type of activity prohibited under the rules set by social media platforms X and Facebook for attempting to deceive users and manipulate public opinion.

Suspected Military Ties: Fake Accounts Praise the Indian Army 

Although NewsGuard could not definitively determine who is behind the network, several aspects of the campaign point to a link to the Indian Army.

One anonymously run Facebook page in the campaign, JK News Network, which claims in its profile to provide “24*7 News updates,” consistently posts content highly favorable to the Indian Army. The content, which often features flattering photos of military personnel as well as pro-Army news or commentary, is amplified by hundreds of fake social media accounts that repost or comment positively, frequently emphasizing the Indian Army’s community engagement efforts.

For example, in an August 2023 post that was promoted by more than 400 fake Facebook accounts, JK News Network said, “Indian Army has always strived to engage with local population in various activities aimed at confidence building and with those leading to positive impact on society.” The post linked to an article from M.DailyHunt.in, an Indian news aggregator, that reported on the army’s efforts to promote women’s cricket. 

Similarly, 456 fake Facebook accounts promoted a June 2024 JK News Network post that stated, “The Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian army inaugurated a Community Radio Station for the local populace of Leh.” (Leh is a city in the region of Ladakh, India.) The post contained a link to an article from DailyExcesior.com, a English-language Indian news site, headlined, “Ladakh gets Community Radio Station.”

On July 1, 2024, 20 fake X accounts with ties to the network all commented favorably on a post by ANI News which said, “Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi touches the feet of his brother and other relatives as he takes over as the new Chief of Army Staff.” The comments included, “The Indian Army – A symbol of national strength that deters aggression,” “Every soldier’s story, a legacy of bravery passed down through time,” and “General Dwivedi – A leader who values transparency and accountability. Indian Army, with public trust.”

NewsGuard did not receive any responses from the Indian Ministry of Defence seeking comment on the network.

“#FascistPakArmy”: The Network Takes Aim at Pakistan 

India and Pakistan have historically had strained relations, which have worsened since 2019, when the Modi government brought Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim area also claimed by Pakistan, under federal rule.

Posts consistently take aim at what is portrayed as Pakistan’s deteriorating economy, the continued grip of its military on domestic politics, and its growing ties with China. For example, in June 2024, 456 Facebook accounts published an identically worded post that said: “Skyrocketing prices, record electricity tariffs and unrelenting protests plunge Pakistan into its worst economic crisis; Heavy borrowing compounding its debt servicing issues as well.”

Similarly, 418 Facebook accounts in the network shared a July 2024 article from the Nation, a Pakistani newspaper, headlined, “[Pakistani Defense Minister] Khawaja Asif says phone tapping vital for national security.” The Facebook accounts appended their own comment to the posting stating, “Following the footsteps of its master China, Pakistani authorities invoking mass surveillance under the guise of fighting terror.” 

Other posts in the network have criticized the Pakistani government over its crackdown on the rights of religious minorities in Balochistan, a region in Pakistan known for anti-government protests and religious extremism. “Balochistan Under Strain: Persistent Harassment by Pakistani Security Forces Demands an End.#FascistPakArmy,” said a June 2024 post by JK News Network that was reposted verbatim by 429 accounts in the network on Facebook. Some posts by the network included the hashtag “#SavePakMinorities.” (A 2023 Amnesty International report raised concerns about government-backed abuses in Pakistan.)

“#FiveYearsOfChange”: Kashmir Has “Flourished” Since 2019

In contrast, the network has promoted articles and posts that paint the Modi government as advancing minority rights. In early August, ahead of the fifth anniversary of India’s takeover of Kashmir, the network began asserting that Kashmir has flourished socially and economically during this period. 

Adopting Muslim-sounding names such as “Khan” and “Bhat,” and using hashtags including “#FiveYearsOfChange” and “#Article370​,” dozens of X accounts linked to the network posted content praising the “social integration” of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of Indian society since a provision in the Indian Constitution that granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir was revoked by the Indian government in 2019. 

One such post from Aug. 4, 2024, promoted by 60 accounts in the network on X, said, “Jammu and Kashmir are experiencing a rise in inter-state educational collaborations, fostering academic and social integration.”

In fact, Indian authorities have intensified the crackdown on religious minorities in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, according to multiple news reports. A March 2024 report by the Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S. think tank, said that since 2019, “Indian authorities have cracked down on the rights of people in the region, oftentimes under the guise of maintaining security.” 

In addition to targeting Pakistan, the network has criticized India’s other geopolitical adversaries, including China, the Maldives, and Bangladesh following the August 2024 ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The network’s criticism of China has included its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, its alleged support for Pakistan’s crackdown on religious minorities in Balochistan, and its role in South China Sea instability. 

As noted above, the network appears to violate X’s and Facebook’s platform rules against “inauthentic behavior.” This includes “attempts to artificially influence conversations through the use of multiple accounts, fake accounts, automation,” according to X’s platform manipulation policy. Facebook, for its part, states in its community standards, that “we don’t allow people to misrepresent themselves on Facebook, use fake accounts, artificially boost the popularity of content,” adding that it bans “coordinated efforts to manipulate public debate for a strategic goal.”

NewsGuard emailed Facebook and X requesting comment on the network’s activities and its apparent violations of the policies of the platforms. 

A spokesperson from Meta, which owns Facebook, told NewsGuard in a September 2024 email, “We’ve enforced against a cluster of accounts and Pages violating our policies against inauthentic behavior.”  

In response to NewsGuard’s emailed questions about the above findings, X’s press office sent an automated response: “Busy now, please check back later.”