BRICS 2026 Summit Media Kit Puts India's Regional Flavours and Crafts on Display
India's BRICS Summit media kit showcases Bihar's sattu and makhana, Odisha's Koraput coffee and Gujarati handicrafts, alongside the 'Sangam' art project.
As New Delhi prepares to host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam on September 12 and 13, a carefully assembled media kit is giving journalists a taste of India's regional diversity. The kit, prepared for members of the press covering the high-level diplomatic gathering, brings together food products and handicrafts drawn from different parts of the country.
Bihar's contribution includes sattu and makhana, two items closely tied to the state's food traditions and farming economy. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary welcomed their inclusion, calling it a matter of pride for the state and describing the products as symbols of Bihar's taste, tradition and enterprise. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for advancing the "Local to Global" vision and said the state's flavours were being presented before the world. JDU national working president and MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also welcomed the move, describing it as a tribute to farmers and a showcase of Bihar's heritage.
From Odisha, the kit features coffee grown in the Koraput region, a product that takes the selection beyond India's more familiar food associations. The Ministry of External Affairs worked with the Odisha government to include it.
Gujarat has contributed a block-printed stole, adding a wearable element to the collection. Officials said the state supplied various handicrafts to highlight local skills and craftsmanship, showing that the kit extends beyond food to India's artisanal traditions.
The initiative is part of the Ministry of External Affairs' effort to present a slice of India's diversity to journalists from home and abroad. Vasudev Ravi, OSD, Public Relations, said the government partnered with three state governments for the exercise, describing it as an opportunity to showcase the India Story to both Indian and international media.
Cultural outreach during India's BRICS chairship is not limited to the kit. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has highlighted "Sangam: A Confluence of Cultures", a collaborative public art project involving artists from nine countries. He said the work draws on the Indian idea of Sangam, where rivers from different origins meet and flow together, and celebrates friendship and unity in diversity. According to Jaiswal, it reflects resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, in keeping with the theme of India's BRICS Chairship 2026.