Know What Was On The BRICS Dinner Gala Menu

The dinner was hosted on the occasion of the BRICS Summit 2026, according to the menu card. Presented in both English and Hindi, the menu featured a traditional Indian decorative border and highlighted India's culinary diversity and efforts to promote millets globally.

Millets Take Centre Stage

Millets were a central theme of the dinner, with a special note describing “Shree Anna” as nutrient-rich grains that require fewer resources while supporting agricultural sustainability and climate resilience.

Three varieties of millets were incorporated into the meal: pearl millet in the pulao, sorghum in the Indian bread and barnyard millet in the dessert.

The menu also noted that the United Nations had designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets, reflecting India's efforts to promote the grains internationally.

The dinner began with two starters.

Khandvi Mille-Feuille featured steamed gram-flour rolls tempered with mustard, coconut and curry leaves, served with kesar mango, micro-greens and a yoghurt dressing.

Khumb Galouti consisted of tender pan-grilled mushroom kebabs with mint pearls, served on a bed of sheermal bread.

Rich Indian Main Course

The main course included Paneer Lababdar, with soft cottage cheese cubes simmered in a rich shallot-and-tomato gravy.

Gucchi Marmik featured Himalayan morel mushrooms and tender asparagus cooked with saffron, raisins and Mamra almonds.

The menu also featured Carrot Bean Poriyal, combining carrots and green beans toasted in aromatic South Indian spices in hand-pressed virgin coconut oil and finished with freshly grated coconut.

Thakkali Belle Saaru was a light lentil broth made with toor dal, fresh tomatoes and curry leaves.

The millet highlight was Millet Pulao, prepared with fragrant basmati rice and pearl millet cooked with spices and seasonal aromatics. The meal was accompanied by beetroot raita and assorted Indian breads, including a sorghum-based preparation.

For dessert, guests were served Old Delhi Fruit Cream with Jalebi, pairing seasonal fruits and lightly whipped cream with a crisp sweet fritter.

The second dessert, Shahtoot Phirni, was a slow-cooked pudding made with milk and rice, topped with sweet mulberries and gold leaf. Barnyard millet was also incorporated into the dessert spread.

Pomegranate Juice And Coconut Water

The drinks served at the dinner included pomegranate juice and coconut water, described on the menu as “a stream of refreshing flavours”.

Opposition Criticises Menu

The all-vegetarian menu drew criticism from Opposition leaders, who questioned the decision not to offer non-vegetarian options to visiting dignitaries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Congress MP Pawan Khera questioned why the Modi government was “ashamed” of India's diversity.

“The BJP’s habit of imposing its dietary preferences on fellow Indians is already deeply problematic. Now, they have taken it a step further by imposing their own choices on dignitaries from across the world,” Khera said in a post on X.

He argued that India is a “rich, diverse, multi-cuisine country” known for non-vegetarian delicacies enjoyed around the world, and questioned why that aspect of Indian culture was not represented at the dinner.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also appeared to take a veiled swipe at the menu. Without directly referring to the BRICS Summit or the dinner, Gandhi posted a picture of chole bhature with the caption: “For the record: 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian. Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister’s chole bhature.”

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also criticised the absence of non-vegetarian dishes, joking that she could advise the visiting BRICS leaders to skip the menu and have security personnel bring “Burra Kababs” from Karim’s.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who said she is a vegetarian herself, also weighed in. She pointed out that she has had to specifically request vegetarian meals at international events and has sometimes had to settle for limited options when her preference was not communicated.

“While it would have been nice if options were offered to our guests considering our Atithi Devo Bhava sentiment, all the visiting guests do understand the limitations to hosting. Just saying,” she posted on X.

Rijiju Defends Vegetarian Spread

The Bharatiya Janata Party defended the menu and accused the Opposition of “politicising food”.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said he could not understand why the Congress was making an issue of the food served to BRICS leaders.

“Our guests relished Indian vegetarian cuisine which are rich in flavour and nutritional variety with diverse regional traditions,” Rijiju said in a post on X.

A Cultural Feast

The dinner was accompanied by the ‘BRICS Symphony’, a cultural performance involving around 160 artistes. Classical dance forms including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathak were showcased alongside traditional Indian instruments and musicians from other BRICS countries.

The menu and cultural programme together sought to present India's regional culinary and artistic traditions to the visiting leaders and dignitaries.