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MEA debunks rumours of BRICS leaders falling ill (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday rejected social media reports claiming that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in India, calling the reports "fake" and warning against "malicious" posts circulating online.
The MEA’s Fact Check Unit on X flagged a post by US-based prediction market platform Polymarket, which carried a picture of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and claimed that "multiple world leaders have reportedly fallen ill after attending BRICS summit in India."
The fact-checking unit of MEA also rejected another social media post claiming that several leaders, including Ramaphosa, had fallen sick after the summit. The post further alleged that reports about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s health remained unconfirmed.
The MEA’s clarification came after Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that the South African president had withdrawn from public engagements after returning from the BRICS Summit in India. The South African Presidency said Ramaphosa was experiencing ill health and had been advised by his medical team to rest and recover.
Ramaphosa returned from India on Monday following the September 12-13 BRICS Summit in New Delhi. His absence from public engagements, however, does not establish any link between his illness and the summit.
Fake Alert!!! 🚨🚨🚨
We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms! pic.twitter.com/NRu6Dfk7Yj
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) September 17, 2026
Meanwhile, unverified claims also surfaced online regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s health following his visit to New Delhi. Wanjun Xie, chairman of the China Democracy Party, alleged that Xi had fainted during the summit and was subsequently flown back to China for emergency medical treatment. These claims were not supported by an official confirmation.
⚠️ Misleading!
We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms! pic.twitter.com/YvsNEQ3Jy2
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) September 17, 2026
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 12 to 13, bringing together leaders of the grouping’s member and partner countries.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration by consensus. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration at the end of the opening day’s deliberations, saying, "No member has raised any objection. The New Delhi Declaration 2026 is adopted unanimously."
During the summit, Modi also held 15 bilateral meetings with heads of state or government on its sidelines. He additionally held pull-aside meetings with several other world leaders and heads of international institutions.
The summit featured discussions on global governance, economic cooperation and other issues involving the expanded BRICS grouping. Ramaphosa himself participated in the summit’s sessions in New Delhi, including discussions on inclusive global governance and inclusive global growth.
