India blocks Chinese state media accounts over misinformation on Operation Sindoor

India has blocked the X accounts of Chinese state-run media outlets, Global Times and Xinhua News Agency, citing the spread of misinformation regarding Operation Sindoor, a recent counter-terrorism effort by the Indian Army targeting cross-border terror infrastructure.

Also Read: India rejects China’s renaming of Arunachal Pradesh locations, calls it baseless

The decision came after the Indian Embassy in Beijing publicly criticized Global Times for circulating unverified and misleading information about the operation. The Embassy directly addressed Global Times on X, urging the publication to verify facts and be responsible with its reporting. It noted that several pro-Pakistan social media accounts had been pushing baseless claims about the Indian Army’s performance, and warned that unverified reporting by international outlets only added fuel to misinformation campaigns.

Following legal action from the Indian government, the X account of Global Times now displays the message: “Account Withheld. @globaltimesnews has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.” The Xinhua account has also been restricted.

India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check Unit has been actively countering such false narratives, identifying many visuals and claims circulating online as outdated, doctored, or completely fabricated.

In a related development, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also condemned China for its repeated attempts to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that these actions have no bearing on India’s territorial sovereignty. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed that Arunachal Pradesh is and will always remain an integral part of India, dismissing China's recent attempts to assert control through symbolic gestures like renaming.