NEW DELHI – Diplomacy took snack break at BRICS Summit, and it got all unwanted attention. As Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered his speech, Indian official Randhir Jaiswal appeared more focused on munching nuts, licking his fingers and going back for another bite.
🇮🇷🇮🇳 Iranian President Pezeshkian is addressing the BRICS Summit.
Behind him, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal is absolutely demolishing a box of nuts.
Eating. Licking his fingers. Going back in.
Eventually, someone takes the box away.
A diplomatic…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 14, 2026
A seemingly ordinary moment behind podium at BRICS Summit turned into unexpected social-media moment after cameras appeared to capture Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal repeatedly snacking while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was delivering his address.
In viral footage, Jaiswal can be seen standing behind the Iranian president with a box of nuts or dried snacks. Rather than remaining focused on the proceedings, he appears to repeatedly reach into the container, eat, lick his fingers and return for another helping.
The unusual scene continued long enough to attract attention from viewers watching the proceedings. Eventually, the box was reportedly removed from his reach, an ending that social-media users have humorously described as a “diplomatic intervention.” The episode since triggered a wave of criticism over diplomatic etiquette, particularly because it unfolded during a high-profile international summit attended by world leaders.
Some users questioned whether such conduct reflects the level of professionalism expected from officials representing India at a major multilateral gathering.
“Is this how our diplomats and IFS officers are trained?” one critic asked, while others described the episode as embarrassing and unbecoming of an official diplomatic setting.
The controversy did not stop there. Some viewers also questioned whether Jaiswal appeared to discard any food waste or shells on the floor, although that aspect cannot be independently established from the circulating footage.
Jaiswal, a 1998-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has served as the Official Spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs since January 2024. The MEA identifies him in that role in its official material.
The viral moment comes against the backdrop of a particularly significant BRICS gathering. India hosted the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, with Pezeshkian among the prominent leaders attending. The summit took place amid major geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran, making diplomatic optics especially sensitive.
While the summit itself focused on major issues including global governance, economic cooperation and the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, a box of nuts has unexpectedly become one of the most talked-about visual moments surrounding the event.
