Putin at BRICS Summit: From chocolate Matryoshka dolls to sweets, what ITC Maurya prepared for him

BRICS Summit 2026: As Delhi prepares for a weekend of VVIP movement, road closures and heavy security, some of the capital's luxury hotels have been getting ready in a different way, through tasting sessions, personalised menus, regional Indian dishes and edible displays. With delegations arriving for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, the welcome at these properties is being shaped as much by food as by logistics.

The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Thousands of security personnel have been deployed, 11 major hotels are under security cover, and traffic restrictions will remain from September 11 to 13. The NDMC has also carried out repair and beautification work in key areas.

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BRICS Summit 2026: What ITC Maurya has prepared for Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin is staying at ITC Maurya, which has prepared a customised chocolate display highlighting India-Russia ties, an ITC Maurya spokesperson told India Today. It features chocolate Matryoshka dolls, a Russian landscape sculpture and a BRICS-inspired artwork.

The welcome also includes an Indian sweets thali, flavoured chocolate bonbons, assorted nuts, confectionery and a fruit basket.

Besides this, ITC Maurya featured a video of the Russian President on its wall of famous guests instead of a photo. 

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Hotels prepare Indian menus for BRICS delegates

As per reports, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to stay at Taj Palace. The Leela Palace is the host for the UAE leadership delegation, and Sheraton New Delhi for the Egyptian delegation. The LaLiT, Taj Mahal and The Imperial are among other hotels hosting delegates.

At The LaLiT, a spokesperson said the focus is on giving international delegations an authentic Indian experience through regional dishes, millet-based offerings and summit-specific items, while keeping room for dietary preferences.

At The Leela Palace, General Manager Preeti Makijha said the hotel has worked with delegations on menus, service rituals and in-room amenities, including millet cookies, granola bars, wellness infusions and an edible lotus flavoured with rose, saffron and cardamom.

Delhi hotels see BRICS rush

At Taj Mahal, New Delhi, visiting delegates are being presented with "Tradition to Table", a set of recipes curated by Taj chefs and inspired by their mothers, along with savoury bites from six regions. The hotel rush has also grown, with reports of limited room availability, rising tariffs and about 90 per cent occupancy at The LaLiT during the summit.