The summit came to a close in New Delhi with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026 on September 12The declaration highlighted the need for greater cooperation in global health and reiterated a joint commitment to universal health coverage built on resilient, inclusive healthcare measures.
Published: September 17, 2026, 4:27 PM IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BRICS and partner countries’ leaders during the BRICS Session on ‘Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth’ at Bharat MandapamANI
The Ministry of External Affairs has pushed back against claims that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, dismissing the reports as ‘fake’ and ‘misleading.’ In a statement, the MEA’s fact-check unit cautioned the public against believing or sharing what it called “malicious posts” making the rounds online.
“Fake Alert!!! We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms!” the MEA fact-check unit said in a post on X.
⚠️ Misleading!
We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms! pic.twitter.com/YvsNEQ3Jy2
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) September 17, 2026
South African President unwell
The ministry’s comments came after the office of South African President Cyril Ramaposa said that he had withdrawn from public engagements after returning from the BRICS Summit in IndiaFollowing this, his office further stated that he has been advised by doctors to rest and recover due to ill health.
“The Presidency wishes to advise that, due to ill health, President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently booked off from public engagements.” The 73-year-old president returned from the summit on Monday and has since been resting on medical advice.
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“Where possible, the President has asked the respective Ministers to represent him at scheduled public engagements,” the statement readHis absence comes as Deputy President Paul Mashatile is also recovering from a minor medical procedure, leaving both of South Africa’s top leaders away from public engagements.
“On the advice of my doctors, I will continue resting until advised otherwise while work and delegated responsibilities continue to be underway in the capable team in my office with other stakeholders in government, business and other sectors,” Mashatile said.
Several unverified reports also claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping departed early from the BRICS summit due to medical reasons and flew back on a special plane.
BRICS Summit 2026
The 18th BRICS Summit took place in New Delhi from September 12–13, 2026It wrapped up with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration 2026 on September 12, which put a strong emphasis on deepening cooperation in global health and reaffirmed a shared commitment to universal health coverage through more resilient, inclusive health systems.
The declaration was adopted on the opening day of the two-day BRICS Summit, in what is being seen as a significant diplomatic achievement for IndiaNegotiations over the text went down to the wire as Iran and the UAE had initially hardened their positions.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the adoption of the declaration at the end of the opening day’s deliberations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and other leaders of the bloc present“We express deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions in West Asia and, recalling our respective national positions, call for exercising maximum restraint, as well as avoiding actions that could further aggravate the situation,” the declaration said.
