Did Army Chief Say BJP Ordered Removal Of Non-Hindu Personnel From The Force?

A video claiming to show Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi stating that the BJP-led Central government directed the Army to remove non-Hindu personnel has gone viral online.

In the clip, he is heard saying that anyone objecting to the alleged order may approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah or Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, further adding that “50% of Muslims, Christians and Dalits would be removed from the Army by 2028.”

Newschecker’s investigation, however, found the video to be doctored.

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Evidence

No Official Record of Such a Statement

A keyword search for “Upendra Dwivedi,” “non-Hindu,” “Indian Army,” and “BJP” yielded no credible reports, press releases, or official statements supporting the claim. The Indian Army’s verified social media accounts (seen here, here and here) also make no mention of such an instruction.

Original Event Footage Shows No Such Remarks

A reverse image search of the viral clip led to multiple X posts by PTI, whose watermark is seen in the clip, from November 17, 2025, showing the Army chief addressing the Chanakya Defence Dialogue in the same backdrop. The original videos (seen here, here, here and here) contain no reference to removing non-Hindu personnel.

The full livestream of the Army chief’s address also carries no such remarks.

Visual & Audio Signs of Manipulation

On closer examination, the general’s lip movement in the viral video appears unnatural and forced. The speech tone also differs from his actual speaking style.

AI Voice Detection Confirms Deepfake Elements

Segments of the audio tested on Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector were flagged as “likely deepfake.” Another AI analysis using Resemble.ai confirmed the voice as fake.

PIB Labels the Video Fake

The government’s PIB Fact Check, has categorically dismissed the claim, stating: “Neither the Chief of the Army Staff… has made any such statement, nor has the Government of India passed any such orders.”

Linked to an Older Manipulated Clip

Notably, a similar doctored video claiming that General Upendra Dwivedi announced a policy to reduce the number of non-Hindu soldiers in the Indian Army by over 50% by 2028 had gone viral recently and was debunked by Newschecker on November 10, 2025.

This manipulated clip appears to have been circulated as a continuation of the same misinformation.

Also Read: Old, Unrelated Video Linked To Saudi Arabia Bus Crash

Verdict

The viral video falsely claims that General Upendra Dwivedi said that the BJP ordered the removal of non-Hindu personnel from the Indian Army. Evidence shows the clip is AI-manipulated and factually incorrect.

FAQs

Q1. Did the Army Chief say non-Hindu soldiers will be removed by 2028?
No. General Upendra Dwivedi made no such statement in any public address.

Q2. How do we know the video is fake?
AI detection tools flagged the audio as “likely deepfake,” and the original event footage shows no matching remarks. PIB has also confirmed the clip is fake.

Q3. How did we verify the video was manipulated?
We cross-checked the viral clip with original event footage and tested the audio on AI deepfake detection tools.

Sources
YouTube Video By The Print, Dated November 17, 2025
X Post By PIB Fact Check, Dated November 17, 2025
Resemble.ai Website
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector