CLAIM
Some videos circulating the social media show Indian Navy and Indian Air Force’s transport and fighter aircraft deploying anti-missile flares in beautiful formations. The message accompanying these videos claims that the flares were deployed as part of Diwali celebrations this year.
The accompanying message on all these videos read:
“Two MIG-29s took off from aircraft carrier #INSVikramaditya off the coast of Karwar and did a low altitude fly-by for celebrating Deepavali by deploying anti-aircraft missile flares.”
TRUE OR FALSE?
The claim is false - the flares were not deployed for Diwali. The videos are, in fact, from different instances in the past, including the 2016 International Fleet Review (IFR) held in Visakhapatnam.
FIRST VIDEO FROM 2016 INTERNATIONAL FLEET REVIEW
The first video is from the 2016 International Fleet Review which was held in Vishakapatnam from 4 to 8 February 2016.
The video below shows two MiG 29Ks from the Indian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm deploying anti-aircraft missile flares as part of the IFR 2016.
The 4-day IFR witnessed participation from nearly 50 countries.
Ninety ships, including 24 warships from foreign countries and 24 foreign naval chiefs, took part in the Fleet review. Some 70 to 75 helicopters of various types, including hawk jet fighters, exhibited their talent and demonstrate in Bay of Bengal.
SECOND VIDEO NOT MiG 29K, BUT C-130 SUPER HERCULES
The second video, which shows the front angle of an aircraft deploying flares, is not an MiG 29K fighter aircraft, but a Lockheed Martin C-130 transport aircraft. What’s more, it is not even from India, but from the US. The original video is actually from the US Air Force Special Air Operations, and was uploaded as early as 2009.
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