Wed Jan 15 17:57:47 UTC 2025: ## Meta Apologizes for Zuckerberg’s False Claim About Indian Election Results

**New Delhi, January 15, 2025** – Meta India issued a public apology on Wednesday for CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s inaccurate statement regarding the outcome of the 2024 Indian general elections. During a recent podcast appearance, Zuckerberg claimed that the incumbent government in India had lost the election, a statement swiftly refuted by Indian officials and now acknowledged by Meta as an “inadvertent error.”

The apology, issued on X (formerly Twitter) by Meta India vice president Shivnath Thukral, directly addressed Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Thukral clarified that while Zuckerberg’s assertion holds true for several other nations, it was incorrect in the case of India, where the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a third consecutive term.

The apology followed strong criticism from Indian officials, including Minister Vaishnaw, who publicly debunked Zuckerberg’s claim as misinformation and emphasized the importance of factual accuracy. Nishikant Dubey, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology, initially announced that Meta would be summoned to address the issue, but subsequently declared the matter closed following the apology. Dubey lauded the apology as a victory for Indian citizens and a testament to Prime Minister Modi’s strong leadership.

Zuckerberg’s statement, made during a Joe Rogan podcast, incorrectly asserted that most incumbent governments globally lost power post-COVID. This prompted a strong rebuke from the Indian government, highlighting the scale and legitimacy of the 2024 Indian elections, which saw over 640 million voters participate.

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