IMPRI Impact And Policy Research Institute

Bhargavvi Atul Bajpai

Introduction:

Social media platforms have transformed communications in international relations by enabling governments, diplomats, media organizations and citizens to participate in global information flows.

While these platforms have created opportunities for digital diplomacy, soft power projection and crisis communication during conflicts, they have also contributed to misinformation, disinformation and AI-enabled information warfare. This article examines the dual role of social media in contemporary international relations.

Social Media and Diplomacy: World Leaders

World leaders are increasingly using social-media platforms to communicate directly with domestic and international audiences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has used platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram. In the West Asia conflict, Prime Minister Modi regularly posted updates about his telephonic conversations with heads of state. (News On AIR, 2026)

World leaders utilize social media for the projection of their countries’ soft power. (Team Give, 2026). During Prime Minister Modi’s first speech in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), he proposed the observance of an international Yoga day. 21June was designated as the International Day of Yoga. (Consulate General of India, New York, n.d.)

Recently, the French President Emmanuel Macron shared a video in Hindi celebrating India-France relationship and describing the friendship between two countries as enduring. (DD India, 2026)

Social Media and Embassies:

Embassies make use of platforms such as X, to promote their countries’ culture and soft power. They utilize social media handles to post regular updates and particularly during times of crisis to issue alerts to their citizens residing in the host country. During the West Asia conflict, the Indian Embassy in Iran made use of social media platform X, to regularly issue alerts to leave Iran using available routes (Ministry of External Affairs, 2026)

Conflict reporting, social media:

Information on social media can circulate rapidly across the platforms. During the West Asia war, news quickly spread through social media as users of the platforms posted images and videos of smoke emerging from Tehran. Social media has made it convenient for the users to access information on global events and communication. Social media platforms allow the users to post images or videos if their locality has been affected.

On the intervening night of 6-7 May, the Indian Army announced Operation Sindoor on X. (Indian Army, 2025)

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), news organization account subsequently provided regular updates.

News Media, Social media and International relations:

Mainstream media across the globe (print and television) have a digital presence across the platforms. They make use of multimedia formats to disseminate the news to domestic and international audiences. Some digital media outlets use creative ways (including caricatures and other visual formats) to explain global events to their audience. Social media has also blurred the distinction between traditional and digital news distribution.

Information Warfare in times of conflict and social media:

While information on social media spreads rapidly, it can act as a double-edged sword: accurate information can improve awareness, whereas false or manipulated information can mislead audiences and create panic. False and misleading information can take different forms. In this context, the article focuses on misinformation, disinformation and deepfakes.

Misinformation: False or misleading content which is shared without the person necessarily realizing that it is inaccurate. (Palfrey, 2025)
Disinformation: Fabricated, manipulated or false content which is deliberately disseminated by accounts to deceive. The intent is to manipulate public opinion and cause damage. (Palfrey, 2025)
Deepfake: AI-generated or manipulated audio, video or imagery designed to make a person appear to say or do something that did not occur. (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

In the aftermath of Pahalgam attack, Pakistani-linked accounts circulated claims portraying the terror attack as a false-flag operation. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said that approximately 15% of the armed forces’ operational time went into countering fake narratives and disinformation. The following examples illustrate the use of manipulated and misleading content during conflict. (TOI News Desk, 2025)

Deepfake video of Rajnath Singh in September 2025:

Image source: D-Intent Data

In September 2025, Pakistani-linked accounts circulated a digitally manipulated video of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh falsely claiming that he had acknowledged that India lost four Rafale fighter jets during the conflict with Pakistan and subsequently agreed to a ceasefire with the assistance of US President Donald Trump. However, this was debunked by a fact-checking handle. The Defence Minister’s clip was digitally manipulated. The original remarks concerned the possibility of subsequent phases of Operation Sindoor. (D-Intent Data, 2025)

Fake News during the West Asia conflict:

Image Source: D- Intent Data (X – Twitter)

After the war broke out in February 2026, several accounts circulated older video clips and presented them as footage of recent developments. The example shown on the left was subsequently fact-checked. (D-Intent Data , 2026)

Conclusion:

Social media has made global communication accessible to citizens, governments and world leaders to project soft power and conduct digital diplomacy and also to communicate during times of crisis. It has also emerged as an alternative medium for the mainstream media organizations to reach out to the audience. It has enabled citizens and independent digital creators to contribute eyewitness material and commentary during crises.

However, at the same time, social media has been vulnerable to misinformation, disinformation and deepfake content. The examples discussed above only represent a small proportion. Governments in different parts of the world have their own mechanisms to counter false and misleading information, by the time the content is debunked it may already have reached a large audience, limiting the effectiveness of subsequent rectifications.

The future challenge for international relations is no longer whether social media will influence diplomacy and conflict, but how governments, embassies, media organizations and digital platforms use these tools responsibly. As social media becomes embedded in international communication, preserving access to information while countering misinformation, disinformation and AI-enabled manipulation will remain a policy challenge.

References:

Consulate General of India, New York. (n.d.). International Day of Yoga. https://www.indiainnewyork.gov.in/yogaday/about.html

DD India. (2026, June 19). ‘Dosti Amar Rahe’: French President Macron’s special message for PM Modi in Hindi wins hearts. https://ddindia.co.in/2026/06/dosti-amar-rahe-french-president-macrons-special-message-for-pm-modi-in-hindi-wins-hearts/

D-Intent Data(@dintentdata). (2026, February 28). A video showing a large fire is being widely circulated with claims that it depicts Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv. https://x.com/dintentdata/status/2027758171922829398?s=20

D-Intent Data(@dintentdata).(2025, September 24). Pakistani propaganda accounts are circulating a digitally altered video of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, falsely claiming he said that India lost four Rafale fighter jets. https://x.com/dintentdata/status/1970801366097342967?s=20

Indian Army(@adjpi) (2025, May 7). Justice is Served. Jai Hind. https://x.com/adgpi/status/1919850036596199492?s=20

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Deepfake. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deepfake

Ministry of External Affairs. (2026, July 19). Advisories Details. https://www.mea.gov.in/advisories-details?75

News On AIR. (2026, March 20). PM Modi Talks with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, exchanges Eid greetings. https://newsonair.gov.in/pm-modi-speaks-with-sheikh-tamim-bin-hamad-al-thani-exchanges-eid-greetings/

Palfrey, J. (2025, September 9). Misinformation and Disinformation. https://www.britannica.com/topic/misinformation-and-disinformation

Team Give. (2026, June 20). International Yoga Day: A global celebration of mind, body, and spirit.https://give.do/blog/international-yoga-day-a-global-celebration-of-mind-body-and-spirit/

TOI News Desk. (2025, May 31). 15% of Army’s time during Operation Sindoor went into countering fake narratives: CDS Anil Chauhan. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/15-of-armys-time-during-operation-sindoor-went-into-countering-fake-narratives-cds-general-anil-chauhan/articleshow/121530755.cms

About the Contrbutor: Bhargavvi Bajpai has recently completed Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Maharashtra. She looks forward to utilizing the most of the program.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.