India has slammed Chinese vloggers and livestreamers who are filming impoverished neighbourhoods of Dhaka in Bangladesh and falsely presenting the locations as parts of New Delhi, saying such efforts to portray a distorted picture of any country are unfortunate.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those undertaking such actions and those behind them.
"We have seen media reports in this regard. Such efforts to present a distorted picture of any country are unfortunate," Jaiswal said.
"Insofar as efforts to buy foreign elements to portray Dhaka as Delhi are concerned, the peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those who are undertaking such actions and those who are behind them. And I would urge the authorities concerned to take action against such people," he added, according to news agency ANI.
His remarks came amid reports of an alleged coordinated anti-India campaign by a group of Chinese vloggers and livestreamers filming in poor neighbourhoods of Dhaka and falsely presenting these places as parts of New Delhi.
According to official sources, the campaign is not simply about filming poverty but involves the deliberate attribution of another country's locations and living conditions to India, accompanied by derogatory commentary that could influence perceptions of Indian society among international audiences.
Reports suggest that around 150 Chinese nationals have been involved in filming and livestreaming in the Tekpara and Uttara localities of Dhaka.
The activity appears to have continued for several months, with streamers reportedly operating from early morning until late at night.
The Chinese nationals are reportedly broadcasting through Chinese social media platforms, particularly China's domestic short-video platform Douyin and messaging and social networking platform WeChat.
One Chinese national identified as 'Mianmian', who claimed to be from China's Sichuan province, was reportedly seen livestreaming beside a canal in Sector 12 of Uttara, Dhaka, on November 1.
While showing the neighbourhood to her online audience, she introduced the location as New Delhi and described the houses and surrounding area as dirty, underdeveloped and unhygienic, sources claimed.
Another Chinese national, while livestreaming from tea stalls in Tekpara, allegedly claimed that the tea consumed by residents was prepared using "cow urine".
Reports of Chinese content creators filming in Dhaka's economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods have been emerging since May 2026.
According to reports, a local Bangladeshi guide, Ritu Akhter, stated that she earned between Taka 700 and Taka 800 per day for assisting the Chinese nationals.
