New Delhi:
A tense moment involving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit has gone viral after he appeared to warn a journalist during a media briefing, saying security personnel could “take out the gun” if the disruption continued.
The interaction was interrupted multiple times by a journalist who was allegedly speaking on the phone while the Russian minister was answering questions. The repeated disturbance prompted Lavrov to pause and ask security officials to intervene.
“Can you just leave us? It’s either you yourself or your phone,” Lavrov said during the exchange before resuming the briefing.
But moments later, the interruption happened again which led to a sharper response from the Russian Foreign Minister.
“Can you leave us? I am not joking. If you don’t surrender your phone, they will take out the gun,” he said.
#Watch | “If you don’t surrender your phone, they will pull out a gun”: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov loses cool at a journalist during the BRICS Foreign Ministers Summits in New Delhi pic.twitter.com/Tpdk5uNzTX
— NDTV WORLD (@NDTVWORLD) May 16, 2026
Lavrov was in India to attend the BRICS Summit and also held a series of high-level meetings with Indian leaders during the visit.
He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and discussed bilateral ties as well as ongoing international conflicts, including the situations in Ukraine and West Asia.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Lavrov briefed the Prime Minister on developments in India-Russia cooperation since the meeting between PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit held in December 2025.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said he appreciated the update provided by Lavrov regarding progress in the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” between India and Russia.
The two sides also exchanged views on key geopolitical developments including Ukraine and West Asia. During the discussion, PM Modi reiterated India’s longstanding position supporting the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Before meeting PM Modi, Lavrov held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday. The discussions covered regional and global issues as well as cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow across multiple sectors.
Speaking after the meeting, Jaishankar said the India-Russia partnership has continued to grow despite ongoing global uncertainties and geopolitical tensions.
Lavrov, meanwhile, said Moscow continues to support India’s priorities on major international platforms, including BRICS, the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20.
