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New Delhi: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov injected a moment of light-hearted drama into a high-level diplomatic event in the Indian capital on Thursday, when he issued a stern yet humorous warning to a man using his phone near him, sparking laughter from the audience.

The incident occurred ahead of a press interaction. Lavrov, visibly distracted by the individual using his device in close proximity, first politely asked him to step away.

"Can you just leave us?" Lavrov said initially. He followed up with, "It's either you yourself or your phone."

When the man did not comply promptly, Lavrov's tone sharpened.

"Can you leave us? I am not joking," he stated firmly.

Staff reportedly attempted to confiscate the phone, but the individual resisted handing it over.

In a deadpan remark that broke the tension, Lavrov added, "If you don't surrender your phone, they will take out the gun."

The quip, delivered amid an otherwise serious diplomatic engagement, drew immediate laughter from those present.

Videos of the exchange have since gone viral on social media. The identity of the man involved remains unknown, and details of the incident could not be independently verified.

Lavrov is in New Delhi for the two-day BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting (May 14-15), where he is joined by counterparts including Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. The gathering comes at a time of notable internal divisions within the bloc over the volatile situation in West Asia and rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

As Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the United States navigate complex frictions, India is treading a careful diplomatic path, seeking to balance its strategic partnerships and economic interests across these competing powers.

The phone episode provided a rare lighter moment in what remains a high-stakes forum focused on global and regional challenges.