Video from Malaysia falsely shared as 'new railway track-laying technology' in India

By: Azra Ali
February 1 2024

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Screenshots of the viral posts circulating on social media. (Source: X/Facebook/ Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

What is the claim?

A video depicting a machine laying railway tracks has recently garnered significant attention on social media platforms. The video is accompanied by claims suggesting it represents the latest rail-laying technology being employed in India. A user on X (previously known as Twitter) shared this video, captioning it: "Presently, this is the technology India utilizes, which governments over the past 60 years failed to launch due to the misappropriation of tax revenue into Swiss banks (translated from Hindi)." 

This post has amassed over 150,000 views; an archived version is available here. Archives of similar posts can be viewed here and here.

Screenshots of the viral posts circulating on social media.(Source: X/Facebook/ Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, contrary to these claims, the video showcases railway track construction in Malaysia, not India.

How did we verify this? 

Upon close examination of the video, the words' China Construction Company' are visible on the yellow machine. Conducting a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video directed us to a post by the X account TripinChina, dated January 9, 2024, which shared the video with the caption: "Malaysia's East Coast Railway began laying tracks."

Screenshot from the viral video.(Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

Further investigation led us to a report by Xinhua News Agency, the official state news outlet of the People's Republic of China. Their report, titled "First Tracks Laid for Malaysia's Mega Rail Project" and dated December 12, 2023, features photos of the same machinery depicted in the viral video. A comparison between the viral video's screenshot and the news report's photo reveals an identical red board atop the machine bearing the Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) symbol.

A comparison between the viral video and the Xinhua news report from 2023. (Source: Xinhua News/X/ Screenshots)

The report clarifies that this machine is part of Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project. This project is being constructed by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The first tracks were laid on December 11, 2023, in the presence of Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

Additionally, a post by China.org.cn, an online Chinese news service, on their X account, dated December 12, 2023, includes pictures of the same machine. The caption describes: "The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega #rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has seen its first tracks being laid on Monday."

The evidence conclusively shows that the viral video does not originate from India. Instead, it depicts the expansion of a railway line in Malaysia, part of a significant rail project undertaken by China Communications Construction.

The verdict

A video depicting a machine laying railway tracks in Malaysia has been mistakenly shared with claims that it showcases the latest technology in India. This claim is, therefore, marked as false.