<p>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.</p><p><br>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.</p><p><br>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.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-and-china-s-xi-offered-to-help-resolve-russia-ukraine-war-kremlin-1789286638039">PM Modi and China's Xi offered to help resolve Russia-Ukraine war: Kremlin</a></p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">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. https://t.co/Wkk8DILjo8</p>&mdash; MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) <a href="https://x.com/MEAFactCheck/status/2098662669301813320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h3>Fact-Check: PM Modi's gift of his own portrait to Chinese President</h3><p>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.</p><p><br>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.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 A video is being shared online claiming that Prime Minister @narendramodi gifted a portrait of himself to Chinese President #XiJinping 

#PIBFactCheck

❌ The claim is #FAKE.

✅ 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.

🔗https://t.co/9EhYJ5OahE

🔗https://t.co/AqL1BSeKsr

🔰 Always verify information through credible and official sources before believing or sharing it.</p>&mdash; PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) <a href="https://x.com/PIBFactCheck/status/2098698123279520233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>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."</p>

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. 

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

<p>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.&nbsp;</p>

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

<p>The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (Mar 12) issued a “Fake News Alert”, warning citizens against false information circulating on social media amid the Iran war. This comes amid the widespread fake news on social media amid the conflict that has expanded to West Asia. The MEA cautioned against “false and baseless” claims on social media, urging people to stay alert.</p><p>“This is Fake News. Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims on social media!” the MEA wrote on X, sharing fake news social media posts.</p><h2><strong>What did fake news claim?</strong></h2><p>The MEA debunked fake news on X, claiming that there has been an attack followed by a massive fire on a joint India-Israel defence facility in Delhi that resulted in the deaths of workers. The posts also alleged that the Indian media is blaming Iran supporters for the incident.</p><p>In a post on X, a verified account falsely claimed, “A massive fire broke out in a joint India-Israel defense facility in Delhi, resulting in the deaths of several workers from both countries. The Indian media is blaming supporters of Iran in India.”</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fake News Alert!<br><br>This is Fake News.<br><br>Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims on social media! <a href="https://t.co/vtqwmdj4nQ">pic.twitter.com/vtqwmdj4nQ</a></p>&mdash; MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAFactCheck/status/2031945809949077797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p><h2><strong>Iran war expands to West Asia</strong></h2><p>On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday (Mar 12) has set three conditions to end the raging war. In a first statement on ending war, Pezeshkian said, “The only way to end this war—ignited by the Zionist regime &amp; US—is recognising Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm int’l guarantees against future aggression.”</p><p>Following the supreme leader’s death, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader on Sunday (Mar 8), marking the first time the position passed from father to son in the Islamic Republic’s history. However, multiple reports suggested that his selection was forced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was opposed by several clerics, who reportedly boycotted the meeting where his selection was made.</p><p>Since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which began on February 28, Mojtaba has not made an appearance or statement in public. Following speculations that he has been severely injured in the strikes, Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of President Masoud Pezeshkian, said on Wednesday (Mar 11) that Mojtaba is “safe and sound” despite injuries sustained during the ongoing war.</p><p><i>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.</i></p></p>

Amid the expanding West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs warned citizens about viral social media claims of a blaze at a joint India-Israel defence facility in Delhi.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (Mar 12) issued a “Fake News Alert”, warning citizens against false information circulating on social media amid the Iran war. This comes amid the widespread fake news on social media amid the conflict that has expanded to West Asia. The MEA cautioned against “false and baseless” claims on social media, urging people to stay alert. “This is Fake News. Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims on social media!” the MEA wrote on X, sharing fake news social media posts. What did fake news claim? The MEA debunked fake news on X, claiming that there has been an attack followed by a massive fire on a joint India-Israel defence facility in Delhi that resulted in the deaths of workers. The posts also alleged that the Indian media is blaming Iran supporters for the incident. In a post on X, a verified account falsely claimed, “A massive fire broke out in a joint India-Israel defense facility in Delhi, resulting in the deaths of several workers from both countries. The Indian media is blaming supporters of Iran in India.”

<p>Amid the expanding West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs warned citizens about viral social media claims of a blaze at a joint India-Israel defence facility in Delhi.</p>

Was an Indian-Israeli facility in Delhi attacked? Fact-check on viral claim amid Iran war

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

Was an Indian-Israeli facility in Delhi attacked? Fact-check on viral claim