The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed social media posts claiming that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, calling the reports malicious and false.
The rumours surfaced after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stayed away from public engagements following his return from India. South Africa’s Presidency said on Wednesday that the 73-year-old president would temporarily withdraw from public events due to ill health.
According to the statement, Ramaphosa’s medical team had advised him to “rest and recover”. The Presidency did not provide details about his condition. Ramaphosa returned to South Africa on Monday after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
The development led to speculation on social media about whether his illness was connected to the summit. The rumours gained further attention because Chinese President Xi Jinping had skipped the dinner organised for BRICS leaders at Bharat Mandapam on September 12.
The MEA’s fact-checking handle responded to the claims on social media, warning people against sharing what it described as malicious posts.
“Fake Alert!!! We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms!” the ministry said.
The speculation surrounding Xi’s absence from the dinner also led to questions about an interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese president during the first day of the summit.
According to people familiar with the arrangements, Modi had briefly interrupted his speech and turned towards Xi, asking, “Is it okay?” They said the prime minister was referring to an apparent issue with Xi’s translation device.
Chinese officials accompanying Xi reportedly adjusted the device, after which Modi continued with his speech. There was no reported incident involving Xi’s health during the interaction.
Officials familiar with the event also said Xi did not attend the dinner because he was tired after a long day of engagements and returned to his hotel to rest. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi represented the country at the BRICS leaders’ dinner.
Xi arrived in India on the afternoon of September 12 for the summit and took part in several official engagements. He also held a bilateral meeting with Modi, marking their first interaction on Indian soil in seven years.
The Chinese president stayed in India for less than 24 hours and departed before lunchtime on September 13.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile has also been absent from public events since July while recovering from a minor medical procedure. His absence was separately noted amid the speculation, although there was no evidence presented linking his condition to the BRICS Summit.
Ramaphosa’s temporary withdrawal from public engagements was officially attributed to advice from his medical team. The South African Presidency did not disclose further details about his illness.
The MEA’s warning comes amid growing concerns over unverified claims circulating on social media during major international events. The ministry has urged users to exercise caution and avoid spreading posts that lack credible verification.
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi brought together leaders and senior representatives from member countries for discussions on international cooperation and other issues. The summit concluded without any official indication that participating leaders had been affected by a common illness.
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