Fact-check: A viral clip showing Indian MP Shashi Tharoor praising Pakistan’s diplomatic influence after the Makkah defence pact is doctored.

A fact‑check report by the iVerify Pakistan team has concluded that a video circulating online allegedly shows Indian Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor praising Pakistan’s diplomatic influence after the Makkah defence pact is fabricated. On August 8, 2026, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a joint defence pact in Makkah, intended to strengthen collective security. The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Al‑Safa Palace. Since August 9, the clip has been shared on X and Instagram, accompanied by captions claiming that Tharoor praised Pakistan’s expanding diplomatic clout and criticized India’s foreign policy. Analysis of the video revealed audio inconsistencies, an unnatural robotic tone, abrupt pauses and abrupt emphasis, inconsistent with Tharoor’s typical delivery. A reverse image search traced the source clip to an NDTV post from April 9, 2026 where Tharoor talked about Pakistan’s role in a Middle Eastern cease‑fire, predating the Makkah pact. AI‑forensic tools identified the video with a 91 % probability of AI‑generated speech and flagged likely manipulation with 87 % confidence. No reputable Indian or international outlets reported the claimed remarks. The report therefore states that the viral video is doctored and the claims it promotes are false.