The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday dismissed social media reports claiming that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, describing the claims as fake and misleading.
The ministry’s fact-checking unit issued the warning as unverified posts about the health of leaders began circulating online. In a post on X, the MEA fact-check team cautioned people against what it described as malicious social media posts.
The claims gained attention after reports emerged that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had temporarily withdrawn from public engagements following his return from India. His office said he had been advised by doctors to rest and recover because of ill health.
MEA Warns Against Unverified Social Media Posts
The ministry’s clarification came in response to online posts that linked the health of multiple BRICS leaders to their participation in the New Delhi summit.
The MEA fact-check unit did not support those claims and urged social media users to be cautious about information being circulated without verification.
Reports also made unverified references to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s health. However, the MEA’s warning specifically rejected the broader claim that multiple world leaders had fallen sick after attending the summit.
Ramaphosa’s Health Triggered Online Speculation
The online discussion intensified after the South African Presidency announced that Ramaphosa would step back from scheduled public engagements.
According to reports, the South African president had returned from the BRICS Summit and was advised to rest. His office did not disclose a specific medical condition in the announcement.
That development was subsequently linked by social media posts to claims about other leaders who had attended the summit. The MEA later stepped in to challenge the wider narrative.
BRICS Summit Held In New Delhi
The 18th BRICS Summit was held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, with leaders and representatives of BRICS member countries taking part in discussions on international, economic and development issues.
The summit concluded with the New Delhi Declaration, which covered issues including global cooperation, trade, international conflicts and health-related cooperation.
The declaration also called for peaceful resolution of international disputes through dialogue and diplomacy and raised concerns over unilateral trade measures that the grouping said could affect the global trading system.
MEA Clarification Amid Viral Claims
The MEA’s intervention comes as health-related claims involving public figures continue to spread rapidly on social media.
The ministry has urged users to treat such posts cautiously, particularly when claims about senior political leaders are not backed by official statements or credible evidence.
At present, the MEA has rejected the claim that multiple world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The ministry’s fact-checking unit has labelled the circulating reports as fake and warned against their further spread.
