BRICS Health Rumors Refuted
India rejects social media claims about BRICS leaders falling ill and defends energy trade.
Anonymous
Key Points
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The MEA specifically fact-checked a post by U.S.-based prediction-market platform Polymarket that used a photo of Cyril Ramaphosa and claimed multiple leaders had fallen ill after the summit.
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During the summit’s opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly paused to ask Xi Jinping whether he was all right after Xi appeared uncomfortable. Modi and Xi also held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit.
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The BRICS gathering was the 18th summit, held September 12-13 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”; attendees included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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India said it had already raised the potential tariff legislation with U.S. officials and warned that its effects could extend beyond bilateral relations to the international energy market. The ministry also said it would work with trade and industry bodies to assess the bill’s implications.
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The U.S. legislation would allow secondary sanctions in the form of tariffs against countries buying Russian oil and gas and also targets Russia’s energy and defense sectors, senior officials and its so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to evade sanctions.
India's government rejected social media claims that world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, calling the posts fake and misleading. Republic World reported that the Ministry of External Affairs issued multiple "Fake Alert" notices on its fact-check account, directly addressing posts that named Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as having gotten sick.
The denials came after South Africa confirmed Ramaphosa had withdrawn from public events on medical advice, but his office did not tie his condition to the summit. Meanwhile, India also pushed back against U.S. tariff legislation targeting Russian energy trade, saying it would defend its economic interests and work to secure diversified energy supplies.
MEA Debunks Food Poisoning Claims Tied to Summit
The Ministry of External Affairs specifically fact-checked a post from U.S.-based prediction-market platform Polymarket using a photo of Ramaphosa and claiming multiple leaders had fallen ill. InShorts reported that the MEA's X account labeled such posts as misleading and part of an online misinformation campaign.
South Africa's government had confirmed that Ramaphosa withdrew from public events due to ill health and was advised to rest. Deputy President Paul Mashatile was also recovering from a minor medical procedure. However, neither South Africa nor India linked these health issues to the summit itself, and China never confirmed that Xi had fallen sick.
Modi's Concern During Summit Opening Remarks
During the summit's opening on September 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly paused and asked Xi Jinping whether he was all right after Xi appeared uncomfortable. Scroll.in noted that the two leaders held a bilateral meeting on the summit's sidelines, continuing their regular diplomatic engagement.
The 18th BRICS Summit brought together leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The gathering ran September 12-13 under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
India Resists U.S. Tariffs on Russian Energy Purchases
The U.S. House passed legislation allowing tariffs of up to 100% on countries continuing to buy Russian oil and gas. OpIndia reported that India's government said it had already raised concerns with U.S. officials and warned that the bill's effects could ripple through international energy markets, not just bilateral trade.
The legislation targets Russia's energy and defense sectors through secondary sanctions and aims to restrict a so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to evade sanctions. India said it would work with trade and industry bodies to assess the bill's full impact and defend its need for diversified energy sourcing.
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