Govt not seeking donations for Indian Army, social media claims 'fake'

Business Standard

8 hours ago

A social media post is falsely claiming that a bank account will receive public donations for the Indian Army's modernisation, the government's fact-check unit has said.
Viral claim
A widely circulated WhatsApp message and social media posts named the account as 'Indian Army Modernisation Fund' and gave bank account details for donations.
PIB's fact-check clears the air
The fact-check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday denied the existence of any such government bank account. 'A message claims that the Central Government has opened a bank account for Army modernisation and is seeking donations. This claim is fake. No such account has been opened by the Government of India,' PIB said in its official post on X.
PIB urged citizens to rely on official channels before forwarding such unverified information.
What should citizens do?
Avoid forwarding unverified messages. Always check facts with official sources like PIB or respective ministry websites.
Do not transfer money to bank accounts shared via social media forwards, unless verified through government websites.
Report suspicious posts on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and X to prevent further spread.
Defence funding
India's defence modernisation is a structured and budget-driven process. Every year, the government allocates funds to the Ministry of Defence through the Union Budget. These funds cover the capital expenditure needed for modern equipment, technology upgrades, and infrastructure.
The government has not created any separate donation account for army modernisation. Citizens are advised to stay alert and not fall for misinformation circulating on social platforms.