New Delhi: International media coverage of the 18th BRICS Summit has drawn sharp criticism in India after major global outlets featured images of street-level deprivation alongside reporting on the high-level diplomatic gathering.
The summit, hosted at the Bharat Mandapam venue in New Delhi under India’s 2026 chairship, brought together leaders from the expanded 11-member bloc—including Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Discussions centered on trade, technology, energy security, and global governance reforms aimed at amplifying the influence of the Global South.
Despite the event’s high-profile agenda, coverage by outlets such as The New York Times, France 24, and Al Jazeera prominently featured photographs of cyclists, moped riders, and informal laborers juxtaposed with summit banners and images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Critics argue the persistent use of these visual tropes reflects a persistent bias in Western journalism, relying on dated shorthand that overlooks India’s expanding economic footprint, digital infrastructure, and diplomatic weight.
While news agencies like Reuters and the Financial Times highlighted the summit’s geopolitical outcomes—citing diplomatic gains for India and stronger bloc cohesion—the framing of the coverage has renewed debate over how international press depicts emerging global powers.
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