The Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Monday dismissed claims circulating on social media that an explosion took place in New Delhi shortly before the BRICS Summit concluded, calling the reports false and misleading.
According to the PIB's fact-checking wing, several accounts allegedly linked to Pakistani propaganda networks had circulated a video claiming that a blast occurred in the national capital during the BRICS Summit on Sunday. The posts further claimed that eight people had been killed in the alleged explosion.
PIB rejected the claim and clarified that the video being shared was old and had no connection with the BRICS Summit. The fact-checking agency also shared a BBC report identifying the actual incident shown in the video.
The footage was from the blast near Delhi's Red Fort in November 2025, several months before the 2026 BRICS Summit. The incident had involved an explosion in a vehicle near the Red Fort area and resulted in deaths and injuries.
The Red Fort blast took place on November 10, 2025. A vehicle-borne explosive device detonated near the Lal Quila Metro Station amid slow-moving traffic. The explosion caused extensive damage to nearby vehicles and property and resulted in multiple casualties.
Investigators later identified Umar-un-Nabi, a doctor originally from Jammu and Kashmir, as allegedly being inside the vehicle when it exploded. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) subsequently registered a case under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
The NIA investigation alleged that the blast was part of a wider conspiracy. The agency later filed chargesheets in the case and arrested several people suspected of providing technical and logistical assistance.
By linking the old footage to the recently concluded BRICS Summit, the social media posts attempted to create the impression that a major security incident had taken place during the international event.
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13 under its 2026 chairship. The summit brought several prominent world leaders to the capital, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The two-day event concluded without reports of any major untoward incident, according to the PIB. India also played a key role in negotiations among BRICS members and in building consensus around the New Delhi Declaration.
The declaration addressed several major international issues, including terrorism and the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
The PIB has urged people to exercise caution when encountering sensational claims online. It advised citizens to verify videos, photographs and other information through credible and official sources before sharing them on social media.
The latest fact-check highlights how old images and videos can be reused to spread misleading narratives during major international events. With the BRICS Summit attracting significant global attention, authorities have stressed the importance of checking the original source and date of viral material before believing or forwarding such claims.
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