The mood in New Delhi is currently centred around artificial intelligence and a lot of tech talk. The capital is hosting the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, where it is not just about algorithms and codes, but also about the buzz of the future taking shape.
On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted an intimate dinner for the visiting world leaders. The dinner menu wasn’t just about indulgence. Every course felt like a quiet ode to India’s culinary identity.
The specially curated menu included the aroma of humble grains, native spices and seasonal produce that have sustained communities for generations. A special focus was placed on GI-tagged ingredients — produce that is deeply tied to specific regions and local know-how.
Millets and indigenous crops also found a place, drawing attention to ingredients that are not only nutritious but climate-smart.
Dinner Menu at AI Summit
Curated by chefs from the ITC group, the meal drew inspiration from Shishir Ritu — It is the time of the year that marks the end of winter, “with moist dew and quite indulgence” and celebrates the “arrival of an abundance of harvest, hope and harmony.”
The evening unfolded course by course, each dish carrying a name as evocative as its flavours. Here’s a look at the menu exclusively accessed by India Today.
It began with Varniila ‘Colourful and Vivid’ – Crisp baby spinach paired with yoghurt sphere, tamarind-date sweetness, a rustic jowar crunch, and cilantro infused with flavours of Old Delhi.
The main course was a tribute to the culinary heritage of Uttarakhand.
The entre was Sasya ‘Harvest – Produce of the Field’, a celebration of India’s winter bounty. The centrepiece was the much-loved GI-tagged Munsyari Rajma Gilawat, known for its creamy texture. It was paired with pahadi rice, jhangora pulao, alongside Kumaoni aloo aur subz ke gutke — the mountain-style potatoes tempered in mustard oil and local spices. A silky tomato-anari sauce tied the platter together.
Next up were freshly baked breads. There was Taftaan, the soft, lightly leavened bread dotted with melon seeds, and Kashmiri Girda, a valley staple with its characteristic browned surface and tender crumb.
What felt indulgent yet thoughtfully composed was Nisarga ‘Nature’s Creation’, a refined spin on nostalgia. The Rasmalai Tres Leches featured a moist chena sponge soaked in sweetened milk, layered with winterberry compote and finished with a pearl millet streusel.
The meal concluded, as many Indian meals do, with light yet refreshing beverages — Kashmiri kahwa, filter coffee, and Darjeeling tea. It also included Indian Rose and Mishri Gulkand Chocolate Leaf.
The world leaders were not just treated to a lavish Indian spread, but were also given a glimpse into the country’s diverse cultures and living traditions.
The evening unfolded as a sensory experience, where food met festivity. Classical musical renditions filled the air, while graceful dance performances brought regional stories to life on stage.
The highly anticipated India AI Impact Summit was inaugurated on Monday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, setting the tone for a week packed with big ideas and global collaboration. Bringing together hundreds of key dignitaries, innovators and policymakers from across the world, the summit has turned the capital into a buzzing hub of future-forward conversations.
