MEA Rejects Reports of World Leaders Falling Sick After BRICS Summit, Calls Claims Misleading

September 17, 2026

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday rejected reports claiming that multiple world leaders fell sick after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, describing the reports as fake and misleading.

The MEA’s fact-check unit warned against what it called malicious posts circulating on social media regarding the health of leaders who attended the summit.

“Fake Alert!!! We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms!” the MEA fact-check unit said in a post on X.

Fake Alert!!! 🚨🚨🚨

We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms! pic.twitter.com/NRu6Dfk7Yj

— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) September 17, 2026

⚠️ Misleading!

We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms! pic.twitter.com/YvsNEQ3Jy2

— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) September 17, 2026

The warning came amid social media claims concerning the health of leaders who participated in the BRICS Summit, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The MEA rejected the reports.

MEA Warns Against Misleading Social Media Posts

The External Affairs Ministry’s fact-check mechanism urged people to be cautious about unverified information circulating online.

The clarification came after social media posts linked the alleged health concerns of world leaders to their participation in the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi.

The ministry described the circulating claims as fake and misleading but did not provide further details about the individual posts in its warning.

BRICS Summit Held in New Delhi

The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, according to the information provided in the report.

The summit concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026, which covered areas including international cooperation, global health, trade, conflicts and multilateralism.

The declaration also highlighted the importance of cooperation on global health initiatives and universal health coverage through resilient and inclusive measures.

New Delhi Declaration Addresses Global Issues

The BRICS countries expressed concern over the growing use of unilateral tariffs and non-tariff measures that, according to the declaration, distort trade and are inconsistent with World Trade Organization rules.

The grouping also called for greater engagement in conflict prevention and efforts to address the root causes of conflicts. It reaffirmed the importance of resolving international disputes through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.

The declaration further called for a multilateral approach that takes into account different national perspectives on major global issues, while stressing cooperation in addressing international challenges.