BRICS Summit 2026: Delhi To Showcase Its Political Heritage, Art And Crafts

New Delhi is set to host a series of cultural engagements for the visiting spouses and family members of BRICS leaders alongside the three-day summit beginning September 11. The programme will take the visitors to institutions including the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and Central Cottage Industries Emporium, offering an introduction to India’s political heritage, traditional crafts and modern and contemporary art.

The cultural programme will extend to the BRICS summit itself, with an ensemble of around 160 Indian and international artistes scheduled to perform at a gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam on September 12. Classical dancers and musicians from India, alongside musicians from other BRICS countries, will present BRICS Symphony, while a collaborative mural involving artists from member countries is also being created at the venue. The engagements come as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit and marks 20 years of the grouping’s establishment.

BRICS Leaders’ Family Members To Visit Delhi’s Cultural Institutions

Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya is expected to be among the first major stops for the visiting family members. A designated museum official will accompany the group through exhibits documenting India’s political journey and the lives and contributions of its prime ministers.

The programme will then take the visitors to the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy, where a special BRICS Bazaar is being organised on September 12. The bazaar will feature crafts and products from BRICS countries, providing a showcase of the cultural diversity of the expanded grouping while highlighting India’s traditional craftsmanship.

From Indian Accent To The National Gallery Of Modern Art

The itinerary also includes lunch at Indian Accent at The Lodhi, followed by a visit to Jaipur House, home to the National Gallery of Modern Art. The NGMA visit will offer the guests an introduction to India’s modern and contemporary artistic traditions.

Another scheduled stop is the Central Cottage Industries Emporium at Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan. The emporium is expected to remain closed to regular customers for several hours to facilitate the VIP visit, tentatively between 2 to 4 p.m. Security arrangements have been strengthened for the movements, with multiple quick reaction teams, several companies of Delhi Police and ambulances being deployed at key locations and along designated routes. The itinerary has also been kept flexible in case of rain or changes in movement requirements, with the Cottage Emporium visit subject to adjustment depending on weather conditions.

A BRICS Symphony At Bharat Mandapam

The cultural programme will also form part of the summit’s gala dinner at Bharat Mandapam on September 12. An ensemble of around 160 artistes, with Indian dancers and musicians forming its core, is scheduled to perform BRICS Symphony for the invited leaders.

The performance will bring together classical dance forms including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathak, representing different regions of India. Indian traditional instruments will be complemented by musicians from some of the other BRICS member countries. The performance will also include intermittent vocal renditions. The Indian members of the ensemble have been rehearsing for the performance, which is being helmed by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs.

A special mural is also being created at Bharat Mandapam as part of the BRICS Friendship Mural project. Artists from member countries have come together in India to create a collaborative artwork inspired by Sangam, described by the ICCR as the confluence of rivers and a symbol of diverse cultures and traditions coming together. As part of the project, participating artists visited Agra, where they explored the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, visited an embroidery and traditional handicraft centre and witnessed a live demonstration of Zardozi embroidery, traditional craftsmanship and Indian classical music.

India’s Fourth BRICS Chairship 

India assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1 and has since hosted meetings across areas including finance, environment, diplomacy, law, culture and tourism. The country's chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with the Ministry of External Affairs describing a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of “Humanity First”.

BRICS has evolved from its original members—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2024, and Indonesia in 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became partner countries last year. The grouping now brings together 11 major emerging economies and, in 2026, marks 20 years since its establishment.

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