Millets are set to receive international attention at the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi, as luxury hotels prepare specially curated menus showcasing India's traditional grains and diverse culinary heritage.

India will host the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13, bringing leaders and delegations from member and partner countries to the capital. Hotels accommodating international guests are preparing personalised culinary experiences based on dietary requirements, allergies and individual preferences.

At The Leela Palace New Delhi, traditional Indian ingredients are playing an important role in the culinary programme. General Manager Preeti Makhija said specially curated menus incorporate Indian spices along with barley, millet, jowar and sattu.

Millets are also being adapted into contemporary formats. The hotel's offering includes Aujasya by The Leela millet cookies and handmade granola bars, accompanied by wellness infusions. The objective is to introduce international guests to Indian ingredients through a modern hospitality experience.

Other reporting on preparations indicates that dishes such as ragi dosa, bajra upma, millet pongal, bajra roti and millet-based laddoos are among millet preparations being incorporated across summit-related hospitality menus.

The LaLiT New Delhi is similarly highlighting millets. Its culinary programme includes what the hotel describes as a millet-forward selection, combining India's nutritional traditions with contemporary culinary approaches.

The menus extend beyond millets, incorporating regional Indian recipes and international influences designed around the diverse backgrounds of participating delegations. However, the deliberate inclusion of millets is particularly significant for India's efforts to give traditional grains greater visibility.

For the millet industry, major international gatherings provide an opportunity that extends beyond individual dishes. Serving millet-based foods to global delegations demonstrates how grains such as ragi, bajra and jowar can move from traditional household preparations into premium hospitality and international culinary settings.

The BRICS Summit menus therefore offer another example of India's millets being positioned not simply as agricultural commodities, but as part of the country's food heritage, culinary innovation and international hospitality identity.