Did COAS General Dwivedi Say Army Will Reduce Number Of ‘Non-Hindu’ Soldiers?

A video allegedly showing General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), announcing a new policy to reduce non-Hindu soldiers by over 50% by 2028 has gone viral on social media.

Newschecker also received the video on its WhatsApp tipline (+91-9999499044), requesting it to be fact-checked. 

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Evidence

No Credible Reports or Official Confirmation

A Google search for keywords like “General Upendra Dwivedi,” “non-Hindu,” and “Indian Army” found no credible news articles or official press releases mentioning any such statement. The Indian Army’s official social media accounts (seen here, here and here) also made no reference to this claim.

Original Footage Traced to ANI Report

A reverse image search of the viral clip’s keyframes led to an ANI post dated November 1, 2025, showing the same backdrop. In the verified video, General Dwivedi is seen speaking about his visit to the TRS College, Rewa — not religion or military policy.

The Indian Army also posted about General Dwivedi’s visit to the educational institutions in Satna and Rewa. 

Signs of AI Manipulation

Upon closer analysis, the viral clip revealed multiple inconsistencies:

• The name tag and insignia on the uniform were distorted.
• The ANI microphone appeared tampered with.
• The lip movements appeared forced.
• The audio lacked natural pauses and intonation, indicating synthetic speech.

AI Detection Confirms Deepfake Content

Multiple AI detection tools verified the video’s inauthenticity:

• Hive Moderation: 99.2% likelihood of AI-generated content.
• Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector: Marked audio as “likely deepfake.”
• Resemble.ai: Detected “fake” voice.

Official Clarification from PIB

The PIB Fact Check unit officially debunked the claim, confirming that General Upendra Dwivedi never made any such statement, and labelled the video fabricated.

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Verdict

The viral video claiming that General Upendra Dwivedi announced a reduction in the number of non-Hindu soldiers by 2028 is false and AI-modified. The Army chief made no such remarks, and the footage was digitally manipulated.

FAQs

Q1. Did General Upendra Dwivedi announce a plan to reduce the number of non-Hindu soldiers?
No. The video is fabricated using AI technology. The Army chief made no such statement.

Q2. How can one identify deepfake videos?
Look for unnatural lip movements, audio mismatches, missing insignia or logos, and use of AI detection tools.

Q3. Has any authority commented on this viral claim?
Yes. PIB Fact Check officially flagged the viral video as fake and clarified that no such statement was made.

Q4. Why are deepfakes harmful?
Deepfakes can mislead audiences, spread false narratives, and damage reputations, making digital literacy crucial.

Sources
X Post By ANI, Dated November 1, 2025
X Post By PIB Fact Check, Dated November 4, 2025
Hive Moderation Website
Resemble.ai Website
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector