5 min readSep 20, 2026 07:07 AM IST First published on: Sep 20, 2026 at 07:07 AM ISTBRICS summit 2026 was perhaps the first major international conference in Delhi where the Ministry of External Affairs cut the Information and Broadcasting Ministry out of the loop. Normally at such events, the I&B department handles duties such as liaising with domestic and international media, preparing background material and briefs, local facilitation for visitors and covering up embarrassing moments and statements. Without the seasoned hand of the I&B to smooth wrinkles, some of the unedited optics at the conference went viral, to the government’s discomfiture.The decision to transport all central ministers and chief ministers from Parliament House to the Bharat Mandapam in two buses may have been taken elsewhere — but senior leaders such as Amit Shah, J P Nadda and Yogi Adityanath are unlikely to have been amused with reels showing them huddled together in a bus! Only Prime Minister Modi had a separate cavalcade to reach the Mandapam, along with most of the foreign heads of state. Some felt the bus journey was unnecessary. Considering the sealed corridor from Parliament House to the Mandapam was, in any case, fairly empty and fully secure, a few extra ministerial cars on this route would have made little difference.AdvertisementAnother awkward video widely shared, possibly exaggerated by AI, was of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval munching cashews sitting to the rear of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the MEA’s official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal nibbling nuts continuously, though seated right behind Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in the full glare of the TV cameras. Finally, a widely shared reel of a young woman extolling every minor item presented in the goodies gift bag to journalists — from toothbrush to notebook to a makhana packet — was cringe-worthy. The publicity should have focused on the substantive gains of the Delhi declaration, not trivial memes, on the misguided notion they would attract young viewership.Diplomatic ConcessionsSince 2012, the MEA has followed a policy of disallowing meetings between visiting foreign heads and opposition political leaders or activists, under the radar of security agencies. But for BRICS, the government understood that to further its foreign relations’ objectives, exceptions had to be made. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was permitted to breakfast with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, and he tweeted their interaction, describing Rahul as a good friend who briefed him on current affairs and foreign issues. Ibrahim is grateful to the Congress because when he was in jail in his homeland, then-PM Manmohan Singh offered to facilitate the education of his sons abroad. An exception was also made for Ibrahim, a devout Muslim, to call on Islamic clerics in Kerala. Meanwhile, at the request of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, controversial Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Farooq, who has frequently been detained in Kashmir, was permitted to attend a diplomatic reception in Delhi hosted by the Iranian embassy for its president. Later, Mirwaiz had a long conversation with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.Keeping Media GuessingEver since BJP President Nitin Nabin announced his team, the media and people who claim to be in the know — if that is indeed possible in this closed-door regime — have speculated that a ministerial reshuffle is in the offing. However, with the inauspicious ‘Pitru Paksha’ period set to begin shortly, followed by Dussehra and Diwali, ministerial changes may take a while yet. But three gubernatorial announcements, including a new LG for Jammu and Kashmir, could be announced earlier.AdvertisementOnly Blind Loyalists WantedRahul Gandhi’s deep distrust of anyone perceived as a defector or party rebel is a drawback in helping Congress increase its footprint. The latest setback for the party is in Goa, where assembly elections are due early next year. The Congress missed a golden opportunity to re-admit the popular Goa Forward Party leader, Vijai Sardesai, who has represented the Fatorda assembly constituency in South Goa since 2012. Party President Mallikarjun Kharge met Sardesai in May and has been waiting for a word from Rahul to permit him to return to the fold. But when no welcoming word was forthcoming, Sardesai decided to accept Arvind Kejriwal’s offer to join AAP, a move which would merely divide the Opposition vote.Political Party, Not BureaucracyThe BJP government appears nervous and on the back foot, but Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of Opposition, has not been able to seize the moment to the extent expected. He, instead of touring the country and building public opinion, has been bogged down in a time-consuming exercise, selecting junior-level party office-bearers across India. The procedure is unnecessarily bureaucratic, with candidates shortlisted after getting recommendation letters from state party in-charges or central office-bearers. The stamp of General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal in most selections is obvious.