FACT-CHECK: Poha for world leaders? MEA debunks viral BRICS Summit 2026 video as 'fake'

A video has surfaced on social media alleging that a simple vegetarian breakfast poha was served to world leaders at Bharat Mandapam during the 18th BRICS Summit. After the video went viral on social media, the Ministry of External Affairs quickly stepped in and termed the information as 'fake news', clarifying that the meal shown in the video was meant for journalists, not delegates.

The confusion stemmed from visuals of the International Media Centre that started doing the rounds online, echoing the similar vegetarian spreads laid out for the press during the 2023 G20 Summit. While journalists dug into poha and other classic Indian breakfast fare, world leaders bypassed breakfast at the venue altogether, opting instead to dine at luxury hotels offering far more lavish spreads.

The claim was clarified after the official MEA Fact Check handle stepped in directly, and confirmed that no breakfast was served to world leaders at the summit venue. It added that the viral visual was, in fact, from the International Media Centre. "Fake News! No breakfast was served to world leaders at the Summit Venue today. The visual is from the International Media Centre at Bharat Mandapam," the MEA Fact Check said on X.

Also read: PM Modi and China's Xi offered to help resolve Russia-Ukraine war: Kremlin

Fact-Check: PM Modi's gift of his own portrait to Chinese President

This is not the first time that government social media page has come for fact check of the visuals or information shared on social media. In a separate incident, another fake news story circulated on social media with a clip claiming that PM Modi has gifted a portrait of himself to the Chinese President during the 18th BRICS Summit.

In response, the PIB fact-check team labelled the claim as fake news and confirmed that the visual is from 12 October 2019. "A video is being shared online claiming that Prime Minister @narendramodi gifted a portrait of himself to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The porcelain memento featuring PM Narendra Modi's image was gifted by Chinese President Xi Jinping to PM Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram on 12 October 2019," the PIB post on X claims.

Similarly, another fake claim on social media was verified by the official MEA Fact Check handle on X over the allegation that Indian youth have announced large-scale protests in Delhi during the 18th BRICS Summit. In response, the handle confirmed that "the video being shared is old and unrelated."