New Delhi

India is making most of the presence of leaders, journalists and officials from all over the world for the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi to showcase its desi products often called “vocal for local” brands with the eye on trade and business.

The Goodies bag to be presented to some 1200 journalists from different countries and scores of government officials attending the ongoing Summit in Bharat Mandapam is a treasure trove of such goods packaged in a sleek bag with BRICS logo inscribed on it.

The bag contains Bihar's Sattu, Odisha's Coffee, shawl and makahna (Fox nut), and a tote bag with an inbuilt charging port.

An NDTV reporter showed BRICS goodie bag on social media.

"India is going vocal for local," Gupta said while unboxing the hamper.

 

 

 

 

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One of the items that stands out is sattu from Bihar, which Gupta described as one of Bihar's, best-kept secrets. Sattu is made from roasted gram and is known for being rich in protein.

"This is India's, or should I say Bihar's, best kept secret," she said while showing the sattu in the hamper. She added that it could become the West's next discovery as a superfood.

The goodie bag also carries 100 percent Arabica specialty coffee from the tribal hills of Odisha. Gupta said the coffee smells "really good" and said that it as another example of India promoting local products at the international summit.

The bag also contains a packet of Arabica coffee sourced from Odisha. It’s an emerging specialty 100% Arabica coffee grown primarily by smallholder tribal farmers in the high-altitude hills of the Koraput district within the Eastern Ghats.

It may be mentioned that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who first mentioned the Koraput Coffee in his Mann ki baat.

Another popular Indian snack included in the hamper is makhana from Bihar. Gupta called it India's go-to snack and said it has become a collective favourite, after banana chips. The makhana will also give foreign journalists attending the summit a chance to try a snack that is popular across India.

The hamper also includes a block-printed stole from Gujarat, which Gupta described as "absolutely regal" and "so stunning". There is also a coffee mug and a tote bag too for those attending the summit.

The goodie bag comes with another thoughtful addition which is an in-built charging port. This will allow journalists to charge their devices while carrying the bag.

The idea behind the BRICS goodie bag is consistent with govwernment’s policy of converting India’s soft power into its economic strength.

The government is setting up a special International Media Centre at Bharat Mandapam, where the summit will be held. The centre will help journalists report from the summit, access information and cover the events.

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The expanded BRICS grouping has 11 full members - Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. It also has 10 partner countries - Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.