Tensions Flare in New Delhi: Lavrov Ousts Journalist Over Phone Interruption

NEW DELHI — In a rare and sharp departure from diplomatic decorum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strictly reprimanded a member of the press corps during a high-profile media briefing following the BRICS Foreign Ministers Summit. The incident, which has quickly gone viral, highlighted the heightened sensitivities surrounding the international gathering.

The confrontation began when a journalist’s mobile phone repeatedly interrupted the Foreign Minister’s remarks. Lavrov, known for his acerbic wit but generally composed demeanor, grew visibly frustrated as the interruptions persisted. After several audible rings disrupted the flow of the press conference, Lavrov paused his statement to address the individual directly.

"Can you leave us? I am not joking," Lavrov stated, his tone firm. “Can you leave us, please? Sir, excuse me.”

When the disruption continued, the situation escalated from a simple request for silence to a stern, albeit hyperbolic, warning regarding security protocols. Lavrov suggested that failure to comply with the rules of the room could result in a forceful response from security personnel.

"If you don't surrender your phone, they will take out a gun, you know?" Lavrov remarked, gesturing toward the security detail.

While some observers viewed the comment as a dry, dark-humored jab at the intensity of Indian and Russian security details, others pointed to the moment as a sign of the immense pressure facing top diplomats at the summit. The BRICS meeting in New Delhi has been a focal point for global discourse, centering on de-dollarization, the expansion of the bloc, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—topics that have kept the Russian delegation under intense scrutiny.

Following the outburst, the room fell into a brief, stunned silence before the briefing resumed. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not issued a formal follow-up regarding the exchange, and the identity of the journalist involved has not been officially released.

For the veteran diplomat, who has served as Russia’s Foreign Minister since 2004, the "New Delhi Flare-up" serves as a reminder of the friction points that exist not just in policy, but in the grueling theater of international press relations. As the BRICS nations continue to seek a more prominent role in a multipolar world, the eyes of the world remain fixed on every word—and every interruption—coming out of the summit.