Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Opposition Criticises Vegetarian Menu at Modi’s BRICS Gala
India hosted a dinner for leaders attending the BRICS Summit.
The dinner was held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
All the food served was vegetarian.
The menu included dishes such as paneer, millet pulao, jalebi and phirni.
Opposition politicians said the meal did not show India’s full food culture.
They pointed out that many Indians eat non-vegetarian food.
Rahul Gandhi said 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian.
Other opposition leaders also joked or complained about the missing meat dishes.
The BRICS gala dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi served an entirely vegetarian menu.
The dinner took place Saturday at Bharat Mandapam during a summit attended by leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
Congress MP Pawan Khera accused the government of imposing its dietary preferences and hiding India’s culinary diversity.
Rahul Gandhi said 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian while praising his sister’s chole bhature.
Mahua Moitra and Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the absence of non-vegetarian options, with Moitra suggesting visiting leaders try kebabs elsewhere.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the dinner, attended by BRICS leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping; opposition leaders criticised the menu.
- What
- An entirely vegetarian menu was served at a BRICS gala dinner, prompting criticism over the absence of non-vegetarian options.
- When
- The dinner was held Saturday during the BRICS Summit in the Capital.
- Where
- Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Opposition leaders said the menu imposed vegetarian preferences and failed to represent India’s diverse culinary culture; the government’s reason was not stated.
Opposition criticism
Reported government menu choice
Representation of Indian cuisine
Opposition criticism
Opposition leaders said excluding non-vegetarian food hid India’s culinary diversity and imposed the government’s dietary preferences on foreign dignitaries.
Reported government menu choice
The dinner served a fully vegetarian spread featuring several Indian dishes, but the articles do not provide a government explanation for the menu.
Non-vegetarian options
Opposition criticism
Pawan Khera, Rahul Gandhi, Mahua Moitra and Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the absence of non-vegetarian choices; Moitra suggested visiting leaders try kebabs elsewhere.
Reported government menu choice
The reported gala menu contained only vegetarian dishes, and no alternative non-vegetarian options were mentioned.
- Host
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Event
- BRICS Summit gala dinner
- Location
- Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
- Menu
- Entirely vegetarian
- Starters
- Khandvi mille and khumb galouti
- Main dishes
- Paneer lababdar, gucchi marmik, carrot bean poriyal, thakkali belle saaru and millet pulao
- Desserts
- Old Delhi fruit cream with jalebi and shahtoot phirni