MEA Calls Reports Of BRICS Leaders Falling Ill 'Misleading', 'Fake'

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed social media claims that multiple world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi earlier this month. The ministry’s fact-check arm warned against malicious posts linking ailments among heads of state to the two-day summit held on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam.

The speculation was partly triggered when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was advised to rest and recover after returning home. This case snowballed into unverified claims that other attendees, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, had also fallen seriously ill. Indian officials stated these claims have no factual basis, and no participating foreign government has corroborated the rumors.

The eighteenth edition of the summit brought together leaders from member states including Russia, China, South Africa, and Iran, and resulted in the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. Indian officials have urged the public and media to verify claims about foreign dignitaries through official channels before amplifying them.