What is the story about?
The 18th BRICS Summit is set to take place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, 2026. As world leaders and around 1,200 to 1,300 journalists
from BRICS member and partner countries land in the capital, they will carry back more than just headlines. Each of them will receive a specially curated goodie bag, one that packs the flavours, crafts and a taste of India into a single hamper.
What's Inside The BRICS Hamper?
The hamper has nine items in total, each of which has been chosen to represent a different part of the country. It is less a promotional freebie and more of a small, thoughtful introduction to India, its food, its textiles and its people.Food has been given utmost importance in the bag, through which Bihar gets a double mention. There is sattu, made from roasted gram, a humble but powerful ingredient known for its protein content and long used as an energy-packed staple across many Indian households. Alongside it sits makhana, the popular fox nut snack that has become a favourite both in India and abroad for being light yet filling.
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For those who need their caffeine fix, the bag includes 100% Arabica specialty coffee grown in the tribal hills of Odisha. It is a lesser-known coffee-growing region and its inclusion gives guests a chance to taste something distinct from the usual South Indian coffee they may already know.
Textiles find their place too with a block-printed stole from Gujarat. Known for its intricate hand-done prints, this piece brings a bit of India's craft heritage into what is otherwise a very functional bag of freebies.
Beyond food and fabric, the hamper also has a coffee mug and a tote bag, the kind of souvenirs that usually end up as everyday items long after the event is forgotten. But the tote bag has a small surprise built into it: an in-built charging port. For journalists running between sessions, filing stories on tight deadlines, a bag that charges your phone while you carry it is a genuinely practical touch.
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It is actually a mix of the symbolic and the sensible that makes the hamper stand out. A stole and specialty coffee speak to India's culture and craft, while sattu, makhana and a charging tote address the real, everyday needs of someone covering a two-day summit.
