BRICS Summit: Vegetarian food and how ‘U’ and ‘I’ words may unite or divide
With contentious topics like Ukraine and Iran testing unity, the BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi is poised to be a watershed moment for international relations
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi features an all-vegetarian menu, sparking discussions about whether the summit's geopolitical impact will be similarly limited or groundbreaking. With BRICS countries representing a substantial portion of global GDP and exhibiting strong economic growth, they are increasingly positioning themselves against the G7
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi features an all-vegetarian menu, sparking discussions about whether the summit's geopolitical impact will be similarly limited or groundbreaking. With BRICS countries representing a substantial portion of global GDP and exhibiting strong economic growth, they are increasingly positioning themselves against the G7
The BRICS Summit in New Delhi features an all-vegetarian menu, sparking discussions about whether the summit's geopolitical impact will be similarly limited or groundbreaking. With BRICS countries representing a substantial portion of global GDP and exhibiting strong economic growth, they are increasingly positioning themselves against the G7
Quite expectedly, though extensive in range, the food fare at the International Media Centre at New Delhi’s marquee Bharat Mandapam is vegetarian. You will get anything and as much as you want from the vegetarian fare, but non-vegetarian food, to the dismay of many, is conspicuous by its absence.
“We do not have the numbers, but you can bet food will keep on coming,” quipped a lad taking care of the dining table. The unofficial estimate of mediapersons for the BRICS Summit including domestic journalists is about 1,200 although the media rooms are hardly packed.
The question is, like the limited range of cuisine, will the outcome of the BRICS Summit be restrictive too? Or will it go beyond the usual and redefine global geopolitics. Will BRICS finally acquire the heft it deserves?
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out on September 11 at a business forum, BRICS countries together make up for about 40 per cent of the global GDP and have grown at a rate double that of the global growth rate. It was a clear signal to the G7 (a grouping of seven of the world’s most advanced economies) that BRICS (a grouping of 11 growing economies) was very much on the way.
The catchword that can unite and divide is easily the ‘U’ word—Ukraine. If Ukraine is mentioned by name, Russia will be more than peeved. India and China, who usually abstain on votes condemning Russia at the UN, will be in quite a spot. It will be interesting to see the positions New Delhi and Beijing take. And, therefore, there is the possibility of BRICS 2026 marking a watershed period in global geopolitics.
The other word being the ‘I’ or Iran, a BRICS member. A September 11 photograph doing the rounds is that of PM Modi and Iran PM Masoud Pezeshkian walking together with their hands tightly clasped, signalling renewed warmth perhaps.
But then India may opt to rely on its diplomatic platform of strategic autonomy and water down a joint position, in which case, BRICS will present a status-quoist position. Significantly, the Indian and American militaries are already wargaming in an exercise called Yudh Abhyas in the deserts of Rajasthan even as the BRICS Summit is on. And they say, there are no coincidences in diplomacy and strategy. In other words, BRICS 2026 may well be the rule-keeper or the rule breaker.