'False narrative': PIB debunks claims that Jaishankar tipped off Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's post questioned the alleged decision's authorization and potential risk to Indian forces. 

Amid a political storm sparked by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegation that India had informed Pakistan in advance of its Operation Sindoor strikes, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has issued a firm clarification, dismissing the claim as misinformation.

Gandhi, in a sharp post on X (formerly Twitter), cited an undated video clip of External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, alleging that the minister admitted to alerting Pakistan ahead of India's cross-border operation targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Terming the alleged move a "crime," Gandhi questioned, "Who authorised it?" and further suggested that the decision might have risked Indian Air Force personnel and assets.

However, the PIB Fact Check Unit stepped in to counter the claim, addressing that the minister had not said India informed Pakistan before Operation Sindoor. "A video is being circulated on social media claiming that EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar stated India informed Pakistan before Operation Sindoor. This claim is misleading. The EAM has not made any such statement," PIB clarified in a post on X.

The video clip shared by Gandhi shows Jaishankar saying, "We are striking at terrorist infrastructure and not striking at the military," and mentions that a message had been conveyed. But the PIB asserted that the video was being taken out of context and was unrelated to Operation Sindoor.

The Ministry of External Affairs has not issued an official response beyond the PIB clarification, but government sources indicated that the comments attributed to Jaishankar pertain to a past event and are being misrepresented to stoke political controversy.

Operation Sindoor was India’s precision strike against terror camps across the border, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation marked a significant counter-terror move, with Indian forces targeting key Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba strongholds.