India Responds to US Russia Sanctions Bill and Denies BRICS Illness Rumors

India says it will protect its trade and economic interests as the US Congress passes its Russia sanctions bill

India's foreign ministry denies claims that foreign leaders fell ill after BRICS summit in New Delhi

The Indian Supreme Court has pulled up the government over denial of disability pension to veterans

Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines from across India on Thursday, September 17.

India's Ministry of External Affairs has rejected social media claims that several world leaders fell ill after attending the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi on September 12-13, calling the reports "fake" and warning against "malicious" posts.

The MEA's fact-checking unit posted on X: "Fake Alert!!! 🚨🚨🚨 We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms!" This included a social media post by Polymarket, one of the world's largest prediction market platforms.

The clarification followed genuine confirmation from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's office that he had withdrawn from public engagements after returning from the summit, having been advised to rest due to ill health.

Separately, unverified posts claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping fainted and left the summit early for medical treatment. The claim originated from Wanjun Xie, chairman of the China Democracy Party, and was not confirmed by Chinese or Indian officials. Beijing has banned the party.

Xi is confirmed to have attended the summit and met bilaterally with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India said Thursday it remains committed to securing energy supplies for its 1.4 billion people and will keep sourcing oil from diverse suppliers, hours after the US House of Representatives passed a bill authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue buying Russian oil and gas, including India, along with new sanctions tied to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The bill now goes to President Donald Trump for signature.

India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement responding directly to the legislation: "India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its 1.4 billion people. It will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics."

The ministry said it had raised the issue with US officials in recent months, adding, "Its potential implications for not just the bilateral relationship but also the international energy market have been very clearly articulated by the Indian side."

"The Indian side has also made clear its determination to take all necessary measures to protect its trade and economic interests," the statement added, saying it would work with trade and industry bodies on the legislation's implications.

India is the world's third-largest oil importer, and Russia has become one of its largest suppliers as well as a longstanding strategic and military partner. New Delhi has consistently defended the relationship as necessary for its energy needs, resisting outside pressure to scale it back.

What do we know about the sanctions?

The package targets Russia's energy and defense sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials. It also targets Moscow's so-called shadow fleet, old tankers it uses to circumvent sanctions.

More controversially, the legislation allows Trump to impose secondary sanctions on countries that rely on Russian oil and gas, in the form of tariffs. Beijing and New Delhi are expected to be the main targets of such measures.

The bill would also extend sanctions on Iran.