BRICS 2026 beyond the Declaration: An Indian feast, Bollywood tunes by the Malaysian PM, and more

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In this screengrab from a video posted on Sept. 12, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they arrive at Bharat Mandapam to attend a dinner hosted for visiting dignitaries of the 18th BRICS Summit, in New Delhi. Photo: @NarendraModi/YT via PTI Photo

The first day of the 18th BRICS Summit being held in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12, 2026) saw the grouping arrive at a crucial consensus, as negotiators worked until the last minute to bring Iran and the United Arab Emirates on the same page.

The eagerly awaited New Delhi Declaration skipped direct mentions of the U.S. strikes on Iran or Iranian military’s attacks on several Gulf Arab nations, but called for “maximum restraint” in the war. It also made no separate mention of the Russian war in Ukraine.

With the diplomatic hurdles cleared early in the evening, the cohort returned to the decked-out Bharat Mandapam at night for the gala dinner. The newsmakers attending the Summit wrapped up the first day with an Indian feast, some Bollywood tunes, and much more.

Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the gala dinner hosted by Mr. Modi, sources aware of the matter said. The reason for the absence of the Chinese President is not immediately known. Mr. Xi arrived in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12, 2026) afternoon and attended the BRICS Summit, besides having a fruitful bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, who left for home after attending the BRICS Summit during the day, was also a notable absentee at the high dinner table. Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in New Delhi as a late addition, soon after the departure of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

#WATCH | Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud arrives at the Delhi Airport to attend the BRICS Summit. pic.twitter.com/ngk6OpwwvI

Infusing a distinctive cultural resonance into his official visit to the national capital, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim blended statecraft with classic Bollywood melodies, spontaneously performing Kishore Kumar’s timeless track “Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat” from the 1965 film Teen Devian.

Guru mintak izin nyanyi kejap ok! pic.twitter.com/NzazFHV509

Mr. Anwar, participating in the BRICS Summit, delivered the musical rendition during his stay at a Delhi hotel. The performance showcased the iconic composition by S.D. Burman alongside lyrics penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri, reflecting a long-standing personal appreciation for Hindi cinema that frequently surfaces during his diplomatic engagements.

‘Paneer lababdar’, ‘gucchi marmik’, ‘millet pulao’, and ‘shahtoot phirni’ for desserts were among the Indian delicacies served to the leaders and delegates of the BRICS Summit at a gala dinner hosted by Mr. Modi at the Bharat Mandapam on Saturday (September 12, 2026). The menu included ‘khandvi mille’ and ‘khumb galouti’ as starters.

The other items that were offered include ‘thakkali belle saaru’ – light lentil broth of toor dal enriched with fresh tomatoes and curry leaves; ‘millet pulao’ – fragrant basmati rice and pearl millets cooked with spices and seasonal aromatics; ‘beetroot raita’ – chilled yoghurt with beetroot and fresh herbs; and assorted Indian breads.

The gala dinner also saw the Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of various States in attendance.

The Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Kiren Rijiju travelled together in two buses from the Parliament House complex amidst tight security.

India is proud to host BRICS Summit 2026 under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji. India welcomes #BRICS Leaders. Joining my colleagues and Chief Ministers at the Banquet hosted by Hon'ble Prime Minister for the visiting dignitaries. pic.twitter.com/BCG1eSVOFe

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Chief Ministers of various States — Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Suvendu Adhikari (West Bengal), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), and Rekha Gupta (Delhi) — also travelled in the buses along with the Union Mnisters to the dinner venue Bharat Mandapam.

The Ministers were allotted different tables where delegates from different countries joined them during the dinner.

An ensemble of artistes drawn largely from India as well as other member countries of BRICS performed at a gala dinner.

A special cultural performance, Navarasa - The Universe of Shared Emotions, was presented during the #BRICS Leaders' Summit Gala Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister @narendramodi at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi yesterday evening. The cultural event featured the BRICS Symphony -… pic.twitter.com/XaxY7QImoe

Titled “Navarasa – The Universe of Shared Emotions”, the special cultural performance was presented during ahead of the gala dinner, in a celebration of the shared cultural heritage and diversity of the BRICS nations.

The cultural event also featured the BRICS Symphony – “One Rhythm, Many Cultures”, bringing together musicians from BRICS Members and Partner countries in a unique collaborative musical performance.

 Inspired by the Indian concept of ‘Sangam’ — meeting of rivers — artists from various member countries of BRICS have come together to create a large-scale thematic mural at the Summit venue, symbolising friendship and a confluence of cultures.

Take a look at Sangam: A Confluence of Cultures; a large-scale collaborative public art project created by artists from 9 countries. Inspired by the Indian concept of Sangam, where rivers from different origins meet and flow together, the artwork brings together artists and… pic.twitter.com/n1wCbZYjUx

The vibrant canvas, born out of the “BRICS Friendship Mural project”, is displayed on a wall inside the main Bharat Mandapam building, which houses the Summit Room, a senior official of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), told PTI.

It was created under the theme “Sangam: Confluence of Cultures” and brings together the diverse artistic traditions of the BRICS member countries in a single collaborative public artwork.

 The Department of Posts on Saturday released two commemorative postage stamps to mark two decades of formation of BRICS, an official statement said.

A historic global moment, preserved forever through the timeless legacy of India Post 🇮🇳Two Commemorative Postage Stamps marking the 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi 2026, were released by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in the presence of… pic.twitter.com/4myCm1Qr5I

BRIC was formalised at the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in 2006. Later, with the entry of South Africa into the bloc, the name was changed to BRICS.

The commemorative stamp bears the inscription ‘BRICS: Two Decades of Cooperation, 2006-2026’ in both English and Hindi.

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