Jalebis & foreign greetings: How Chandni Chowk is preparing to welcome BRICS 2026 leaders

Foreign delegates stepping into the historic lanes of Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk will soon be greeted in their native tongues. According to the India Today report, shopkeepers in the iconic market are picking up conversational phrases in English, French, Chinese, and Japanese, ensuring a warm welcome for international visitors arriving for the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit.

Scheduled for September 12-13 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, the summit has motivated local businesses to pull out all the stops. Many shopkeepers are relying on their school-going children to master greetings and key phrases in languages like French.

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Satyendra Jain, a local jeweller, said his family is learning English, Japanese, and Chinese while curating product lines specifically for international tastes. "We want our guests to feel welcome and understood," he noted, adding that his family regularly practises conversational lines to break the ice.

Another trader, Rishabh Jain, highlighted that Chandni Chowk’s jewellery already enjoys strong export demand in the Middle East, where Arabic is widely spoken. Now, shopkeepers are focusing on French to accommodate European visitors. "If they speak our language, even a little, it builds trust," he said.

Beyond language skills, market bodies are driving sanitation efforts and reorganising store displays to elevate the shopping experience. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), alongside local trader associations, is coordinating with city authorities to clean and decorate the market ahead of the event.

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CTI general secretaries Gurmeet Arora and Ramesh Ahuja confirmed that the organisation is deploying language-capable and English-speaking tourist guides for four days to assist visitors. "We don't want any language barrier to come in the way of a good experience," Arora said. Social media influencers affiliated with trade associations are also rehearsing foreign phrases to interact with delegates on-site.

The market's famous food establishments are similarly upgrading their counters and packaging. Ramakant Sharma, operator of a 110-year-old jalebi shop, shared that the entire neighbourhood is undergoing a makeover.

"Our shop is known for jalebi and rabri, with the jalebi prepared using desi ghee," Sharma said, adding that the delicacy stays fresh for up to five days. "If President Xi Jinping or other leaders visit, we will serve them special jalebi-rabri and show them our best work." Sharma, who can communicate in English, expressed hope that delegates will find time to sample the traditional treats.

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Hosted under India's chairmanship with the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," the summit represents both a business opportunity and a point of civic pride for Chandni Chowk. As the event approaches, local shopkeepers remain eager to showcase Delhi's premier traditional commercial hub on the global stage.