A video is being widely shared on social media in which several tanks are seen in a field.
The video is shared with a caption suggesting that it shows the Chinese Army building a military base in Arunachal Pradesh.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “BREAKING Why is Narendra Modi and the MEA quiet? China has started a massive military build-up near Arunachal Pradesh.”
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The video is of a military drill in northeast China.
On closely observing the video, we saw that a logo of CGTN Europe was mentioned in the top right corner.
A Google reverse image search led us to the same video shared by the YouTube channel CGTN Europe on November 13.
The video was shared with a caption that reads, “PLA ground force conducts live-fire drills featuring high-tech drones and robotic dogs.”
The description associated with the video states that a ground unit of the PLA’s 78th Group Army carried out a live-fire drill using new combat tactics and advanced gear, including long-endurance drones and robotic dogs. The exercise was part of the army’s push to test and refine high-tech battlefield methods.
The 78th Group Army is a major ground force formation in the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF), part of China’s Northern Theater Command, which shares borders with North Korea, Russia and Mongolia.
The incident was also reported by Chinamil on November 10.
According to the report, the ‘White Tiger’ company, part of a combined-arms brigade under the PLA’s 78th Group Army, took part in a live-force confrontation drill designed to test new combat methods and technology.
During the exercise, troops integrated robotic dogs and drones into their operations, using them alongside traditional ground units to improve battlefield coordination and tactical effectiveness. The drill focused on building realistic combat capabilities, enhancing how soldiers, unmanned systems, and weaponry work together under pressure.
The Ministry of Defence of China also mentioned the report with a screenshot of the viral video.
Moreover, we found Arunachal Pradesh and the LAC with India come under the PLA’s Western Theater Command, but the Chinese reports on this drill make no reference to that command and do not indicate that the exercise happened anywhere near the India-China border.
Hence, we can ascertain that the claim is false.
