No, Sky News Didn’t Criticise EAM for ‘Flouting Norms’ at G7

S Jaishankar’s images with foreign dignitaries shown in the viral video were captured before he went into isolation.

An edited video has gone viral on social media to falsely claim that the foreign media criticised the Indian delegation at the G7 meeting for allegedly flouting isolation rules.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

An edited video of Sky News’ bulletin has gone viral on social media to falsely claim that the foreign media criticised the Indian delegation at the G7 meeting for allegedly flouting isolation rules.

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar joined the G7 meeting virtually on Wednesday, 5 May, in London after two members of the Indian delegation reportedly tested COVID-positive.

However, we found that the viral video has been doctored and there is a stark difference between the original news bulletin and the viral one.

Further, Jaishankar’s images with foreign dignitaries United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Home Secretary of the United Kingdom Priti Patel shown in the viral video were captured before he went into isolation on 5 May and not during the isolation period, as claimed.

CLAIM

The voiceover heard in the 02:20-minute video claims that S Jaishankar flouted isolation rules and met foreign dignitaries while he was observing isolation.

You can view the archived version here.(Source: Twitter/ Screenshot)

The claim along with the video reads: “Indians behave carelessly at G7 as their PM behaves in India... indian team highly insulted and advised not to take part in next months meeting (sic).”

The video shared by Twitter user ‘Shenaz30’ had garnered over 62,000 views at the time of writing this article.

Several social media users shared the video on Twitter and Facebook with a similar claim and the archived posts can be viewed here, here, and here.

WHAT WE FOUND

On carefully looking at the viral video, we noticed the logo of news channel ‘Sky News.’

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

We then searched for the concerned bulletin on Sky News’ YouTube handle and found that the media outlet had uploaded a bulletin on 6 May titled: ‘Foreign Secretary defends G7 meeting after two test positive for COVID-19.’

On comparing the viral video with the YouTube bulletin, we found that there was a clear mismatch in the voice overs used in the two.

After 01:03 minutes in the viral video, we noticed that the voice of the person narrating the details is not the same as the voiceover heard in the part before this segment.

Further, the part after 01:03 minutes in the viral video, where the narrator claims that Jaishankar didn’t immediately go into isolation, does not feature in the actual video uploaded by Sky News. Rather the actual news video goes on to list the highlights of the G7 meeting.

WHAT ABOUT IMAGES OF JAISHANKAR MEETING FOREIGN DIGNITARIES?

India’s External Affairs Minister and other members of his delegation went into isolation on Wednesday, 5 May, after two members of the Indian delegation reportedly tested COVID-positive.

The viral video shows a series of images to claim that Jaishankar met United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Home Secretary of the United Kingdom Priti Patel later on Wednesday.

However, both Priti Patel and S Jaishankar shared the images of their meeting on 4 May, a day before Jaishankar isolated himself.

Similarly, Jaishankar and Blinken tweeted images of their meeting on 3 May and 4 May respectively.

However, Jaishankar holding a meeting without wearing a mask was tweeted on 6 May.

Evidently, an edited news bulletin of Sky News was circulated to falsely claim that the foreign media “insulted” the Indian delegation at the G7 meeting.

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