India Showcases Cultural Diversity and Economic Ties at 18th BRICS Summit

The 18th BRICS Summit is currently underway in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam, featuring high level meetings including a scheduled encounter between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. As part of the event, India is utilizing culinary and artisanal displays to showcase its regional diversity to visiting leaders and delegates. The first day of the summit featured an entirely vegetarian menu with dishes such as Paneer Lababdar, Rajma Rasela, and Dum Aloo Banarasi, alongside international options like Penne al pomodoro e panna. Additionally, the Ministry of External Affairs provided media delegates with curated goodie bags containing sattu and makhana from Bihar, coffee from Odisha, and block printed scarves from Gujarat. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary praised this initiative as a realization of the Local to Global resolve. Beyond the cultural displays, the summit has focused on economic cooperation. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that BRICS is at an inflection point and urged member nations to move beyond raw commodity supply toward deeper productive economic relationships. A journalist from TV BRICS Africa noted that South Africa brought approximately 130 business owners to the event and expressed hope for progress on a common payment system to reduce reliance on the US dollar.