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.

Also Read : BRICS Summit 2026 LIVE updates

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 skips gala dinner

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.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince departs, Saudi FM arrives

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

Malaysian PM showcases love for Bollywood with Kishore Kumar song

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.

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.

‘Millet pulao’, ‘paneer lababdar’, ‘shahtoot phirni’: An Indian feast at the gala dinner

‘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.

Union Ministers, CMs attend BRICS gala dinner

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.

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.

‘BRICS Symphony’: Ensemble of artistes from India, other countries perform at gala dinner

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

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.

Friendship mural: At Summit venue, artists from BRICS member countries create ‘Sangam’ of cultures

 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.

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.

India Post releases commemorative postage stamps to mark two decades of BRICS

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

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.

With inputs from PTI, ANI, and other agencies