Viral “Soldier Ashok Kumar” Pahalgam video turns out to be Fake

A video has been rapidly shared online in which an individual claiming to be an Indian Army soldier, Ashok Kumar, alleges that the media’s portrayal of Pahalgam is misleading. In the footage, he says that intelligence agencies “failed” and that critical questions were “ignored,” asking viewers if they are being deceived.

Screenshot showing viral Pahalgam video allegedly featuring a fake Indian Army soldier with misleading claims, debunked by DFRAC as fake.

Multiple users have circulated this clip, which can be viewed here and here

Fact Check

Upon investigation, we found the claim to be fake.

A close examination of the soldier’s combat dress in the video shows the classic PC-DPM (Personal Clothing – Disruptive Pattern Material) camouflage introduced by the Indian Army in 2006. Characterized by broad, irregular horizontal swathes of black, brown, and green on a khaki-green base, this “brushstroke” pattern has been fully phased out for frontline troops and replaced from 15 January 2022 by a pixelated digital-disruptive design developed in collaboration with India’s National Institute of Fashion Technology. The new uniform features angular pockets, QR/bar-coding, a lighter, more breathable fabric, and a two‐piece combat jacket and T-shirt system—details entirely absent in the old PC-DPM.

We found a report on a media outlet, Broadsword, published on 6 January 2022, which provides details about the Indian Army’s Uniform over the years, with a new one being designed by NIFT.

Screenshot of a Broadsword article on Indian Army uniforms, featuring ceremonial dress worn by Bengal Lancers and announcement of NIFT-designed new battle dress debuting on Army Day. — Link

A website named Camopedia.org also provided details about the Indian Army’s uniform pattern over the years. The viral video uniform shows a pattern that matches the older uniform.

Link

IPR Protection & Controlled Distribution
We found a PIB Press Release(18 January 2022), which informed that to prevent unauthorized manufacture, the Army secured exclusive IPR on the new camouflage pattern and design in late 2022. Uniforms are bar-coded/QR-coded and sold only through Unit-Run Canteens and the Canteen Stores Department—open-market sales are prohibited.

Official advisory issued by the Ministry of Defence on January 18, 2023, warning against unauthorized proliferation of the Indian Army’s newly introduced camouflage combat uniform. The notice highlights that the Indian Army has secured Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for the new camouflage pattern, unveiled on Army Day 2022, and prohibits unauthorized vendors from producing or selling it. The image shows a soldier wearing the new Indian Army combat uniform featuring a distinct camouflage design protected under copyright. — Link

An Indian Today report from January 15, 2022, also reported on the news of the new Indian Army Uniform.

Screenshot from India Today article on the 74th Army Day, showcasing Indian Army personnel marching in the newly introduced combat uniform. The modern camouflage uniform, designed in collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), features an updated look with the shirt tucked in and belt hidden—providing a more functional and informal appearance compared to previous versions. The image captures soldiers in maroon berets demonstrating the new uniform during the Army Day parade. — Link

A comparison of the old and new Indian Army uniforms can be seen below.

Furthermore, no media outlet has reported any news about the video or the soldier “Ashok Kumar” belonging to the Indian Army.

Conclusion

Thus from the fact check it is clear that the viral claim and the video is Fake. Because the service dress in the viral video clearly shows the obsolete PC-DPM brushstroke pattern—completely superseded by the digital pixel uniform in January 2022—it cannot depict a current Indian Army soldier. This discrepancy, combined with the lack of any credible media reports or official statements from “Ashok Kumar,” confirms that the clip’s claim is fabricated.