Old video from U.S. shared as 'grand welcome' for Indian PM at Ukraine airport

What's the claim?

Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to Poland and Ukraine in August 2024, a video has surfaced on social media showing him being welcomed at an airport and shaking hands with a crowd. Some users have claimed the footage depicts the 'grand welcome' he received during his recent visit to Ukraine, while others suggest it is from his trip to Poland.

On X (formerly Twitter), one user shared the clip with a Hindi caption that translates to, “Modiji’s convoy in Poland.” Another user posted the same video with a different Hindi caption that translates to: “Is there any leader in the world who has the courage to step out and greet his supporters openly during the war between Ukraine and Russia? A few days ago, a Shiv Sena leader claimed Modiji paused the war for two days to bring Indian children back from Ukraine. You can see it again now; Modiji recently visited Ukraine, and the war stopped because of his visit. Bharat Mata Ki Jai - Vande Mataram.” Archived versions of these posts can be found here and here.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts) 

However, this video is not from Modi’s recent visits to Poland or Ukraine. It is an old video from 2023, showing Modi being welcomed at New York’s JFK airport.

What we found

A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to an NDTV report published on June 30, 2023. The report included a video resembling the viral clip. At 0:55 seconds into the NDTV video, the same security personnel are visible behind Modi as he greets the crowd. 

The report stated that the video shows Modi’s arrival in New York at the start of his inaugural state visit to the U.S. During this visit, Modi led the International Yoga Day event at the United Nations Headquarters and held bilateral discussions with President Joe Biden. The video depicts his reception by the Indian community in America.

VOA News also featured the same visuals, confirming they are from Modi’s U.S. visit in June 2023.

Comparison showing the viral clip and the video by NDTV. (Source: X/NDTV)

Modi's visit to Ukraine and Poland

Modi visited Poland on August 21, 2024, and Ukraine on August 23, 2024. His official X account posted images of his arrival in Poland via a special plane. News reports confirm Modi held bilateral talks with President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Poland (archived here).

Screenshot of Modi's X post on arrival in Poland. (Source: X/@narendramodi)

Modi traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, by train. The Prime Minister’s Office shared a video of his arrival on its official YouTube channel (archived here), and Ukraine Railways (archived here) also released footage of his train arrival in the capital. 

Screenshot of X post of PM Modi arrived in Ukraine. (Source: X/@Ukrzaliznytsia)

Additionally, in Poland, the Indian prime minister was welcomed by the Indian community at the Chancellery, not at the airport. Photos of this welcome were shared on his official X account (archived here).

Therefore, the evidence clearly indicates that the video in question is not from Modi’s visits to Poland or Ukraine but from his 2023 visit to the United States.

The verdict

The video of a crowd welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is actually from his 2023 visit to the U.S., not from his recent trips to Ukraine or Poland.