AI-generated clip allegedly shows Rajat Sharma asserting a false claim that India's trade with the USA has plummeted by 50%, and plans to conduct all future trade using Indian Rupees.
In recent days, a viral video has been circulating online, purportedly featuring Rajat Sharma, the renowned Indian journalist, making a sensational claim about India's trade relations with the United States. However, upon closer inspection, it appears that this video is not what it seems.
The viral video was run through the Hive AI detection tool, which confirmed that it contains AI-generated or deepfake content. The video was flagged as 99.9% AI-generated, suggesting it is a deepfake. Furthermore, the lip sync in the video does not match the audio, further supporting its fabricated nature.
The claim made in the video that India has decided to reduce trade with the United States by 50% and will do all trade in INR is FALSE. Not only is this claim contradicted by the facts, but it also goes against the current economic landscape.
As of August 2025, the trade balance between India and the United States shows that India had a trade deficit of approximately $26.49 billion, slightly reduced from $27.35 billion in July. This deficit is primarily due to U.S. tariffs imposed on Indian goods and decreased exports to the U.S., while imports slowed down to offset the deficit decrease. The U.S. imposed a 25% additional tariff on Indian goods starting August 27, 2025, raising the total tariff rate on Indian exports to 50%, the highest among U.S. trading partners. Trade negotiations between the two countries have stalled but officials were scheduled to meet in early September 2025 to discuss further.
It is important to note that the original report from 17 July 2025, as published on the official India TV News website, does not include any mention of Rajat Sharma talking about India-USA trade reduction and INR trade. The report covers stories such as a daylight murder in Patna's Paras Hospital, Nitish Kumar's free electricity announcement, clashes in the Maharashtra Assembly, the Fadnavis-Uddhav meeting, the Ahmedabad plane crash, the ED chargesheet against Robert Vadra, and floods and landslides in Jammu & Kashmir that halted the Amarnath Yatra. In the news report, Rajat Sharma does not cover India-USA trade relations or mention that India has decided to reduce trade with the USA by 50% and will do all trade in INR.
In conclusion, the viral video depicting Rajat Sharma making false claims about India-USA trade reduction and INR trade is a deepfake. It is crucial to verify information before sharing it and to remain vigilant against misinformation.
