New Delhi: After social media users pointed out that the Indian government’s logo for the BRICS summit it will host this year is almost identical to that of a Hyderabad-based hospital, it has come to light that New Delhi had used the same logo while hosting the 2016 edition of the summit.It is unclear when the Lotus Cure Hospital in Hyderabad was established or why and since when it has used the same logo. Anand, part of the management staff at the hospital, told The Wire that he believed the hospital had been set up in late 2016 or early 2017 but that he was unsure.Sudeep Subhash Gandhi, who designed the lotus flower-based logo, told The Wire he had designed the logo for the 2016 BRICS summit and that it had been unveiled by then-external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.The logo, which external affairs minister S. Jaishankar unveiled on Tuesday (January 13), is seen on the 2016 summit’s website as well as in photographs of its various events.India officially assumed the BRICS presidency from Brazil on January 1 for its fourth term.Social media users had pointed to similarities between the new logo and the branding of the Lotus Cure Hospital, located in Alwal in the Telangana capital. One user on X noted that “even the order of colours is the same”. The logo depicts a lotus flower with the middle portion representing the ‘namaste’ gesture.The hospital uses the same logo, placed within a blue oval.Explaining the concept in his submission in 2016, Gandhi had said: “Namaste is the gesture of welcoming and respecting someone on arrival. As lotus is the symbol of prosperity and India is heading in the same direction, we have designed lotus with the colours signifying BRICS members and their unity.”The logo is accompanied this year by the tagline: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”Earlier during the launch, the Ministry of External Affairs emphasised the strategic intent behind the branding. Jaishankar said that India’s chairship would adopt a “humanity-first” and “people-centric” approach.“In 2026, BRICS will complete 20 years of its inception,” Jaishankar said, adding that the grouping had evolved into a significant platform for emerging markets and developing economies.He noted that the chairship would focus on four broad priorities: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. “India views Brics as a constructive platform for dialogue and development… guided by the principles of mutual respect, sovereign equality, and consensus,” Jaishankar added.The official website was also launched on Tuesday to facilitate transparency and engagement. Jaishankar said the portal would provide information on meetings, initiatives, and outcomes, helping in the “timely dissemination of information throughout the year”.India last held the BRICS chairship in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.This article was updated at 8:22 PM to reflect the fact that this year’s logo was also used in 2016 and that it is unclear whether the Lotus Cure Hospital in Hyderabad had been established at the time.