FACT CHECK: Does This Image Show 5 Intelligence Agencies Meeting In Delhi, India?

September 23rd, 2021
The Indian national flag flutters on the top of the Red Fort during the 55th Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, 15 August 2002. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said in his Independence Day address that India was ready to hold talks with Pakistan over Kashmir as soon as the atmosphere is "conducive". AFP PHOTO/Prakash SINGH (Photo by Prakash SINGH / AFP) (Photo by PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)

An image shared on Twitter allegedly shows intelligence agencies from five countries meeting in Delhi, India.

 

Verdict: False

The image shows Russian and Indian national security advisors meeting in New Delhi, India.

Fact Check:

The image shows a group of about two dozen people in business attire sitting at a conference table in a finely furnished room. The caption claims the people are from the top five intelligence agencies in the world, including India’s Research and Analysis Wing, Israel’s Mossad, Russia’s KGB, the U.K.’s Secret Intelligence Service (also known as MI6) and the U.S.’s CIA.

“First time ever the top five intelligence agencies of the world are sitting together for a high level meeting in Delhi,” reads the caption. “This is the power of new India.” (RELATED: Tweet Claims To Show Video Of Indian Soldiers Collapsing After Being Vaccinated)

However, this is not what the image depicts. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found the same picture in an article from the Hindustan Times and in a tweet shared by Asian News International’s (ANI) verified Twitter account. Both sources state the photo shows national security advisors from India and Russia meeting on Sept. 8.

 

“Delhi: A delegation-level talk of National Security Advisors (NSA) between India & Russia underway,” reads the caption of the tweet from ANI.

The article from the Hindustan Times explains the meeting, led by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolay Patrushev, focused on the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. It was held in New Delhi, India, the outlet reported. This account matches a report from Reuters about the Sept. 8 meeting.

It is worth noting that the KGB, which the Twitter post mentions, was dissolved in 1991, according to History.com. The Foreign Intelligence Service currently operates as Russia’s chief foreign intelligence agency.

While there is no evidence that five intelligence agencies met in India at the same time, both CIA Director William Burns and Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service Richard Moore did also meet with Doval separately to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, according to Voice of America.

Mecca Fowler

Contributor