Key Highlights:
- Foreign journalists covering the BRICS Summit in New Delhi praised India's hospitality and culture.
- Melissa Hollow from TV BRICS Africa described India as peaceful despite its massive population.
- Khaleej Times journalist Alyaa Al Dhanhani called India's hosting of the summit "well-organised."
- Malaysian journalist Yasmin Natasha noted India's rapid economic and transportation development.
- Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati highlighted shared Sanskrit-rooted linguistic ties between India and Indonesia.
A Warm Welcome Amid a Major Summit
As India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, foreign journalists covering the event have offered warm, personal accounts of their experience in the country, several describing the atmosphere as unexpectedly familiar and welcoming despite it being their first visit.
First Impressions From Africa
Melissa Hollow of TV BRICS Africa, visiting India and New Delhi for the first time, described the experience as humbling. "It has been so humbling and a beautiful experience. I have been to a few of the temples before the summit and also took a walk around the area. I can truly say that it's a very peaceful state. It's filled with billions of people, yet you feel at home. I did not feel lost at all. People were very helpful," she told IANS, adding that she had also come to appreciate Indian cuisine and culture during her stay.
Why This Kind of Coverage Matters for a Host Nation
For a country hosting a summit of this scale, involving journalists, officials and delegations from 21 member and partner nations, the informal, personal impressions shared by visiting media carry a different kind of diplomatic value than official statements. These accounts shape how India's hosting capabilities and cultural openness are perceived internationally, often reaching audiences that formal summit coverage alone would not.
Praise for the Summit's Organisation
Senior Khaleej Times journalist Alyaa Mohamed Obaid Ali Al Dhanhani focused her comments specifically on India's execution of the summit itself, describing the hosting as "well-organised" while also praising the hospitality extended to visiting journalists, a combination that speaks to India's broader ambitions of positioning itself as a capable host for large-scale international diplomatic gatherings.
Cuisine as a Recurring Theme
Food emerged as a consistent point of appreciation among the visiting journalists. Shadrack Hollow, also from TV BRICS Africa, who arrived on September 8, singled out Indian cuisine for particular praise. "The food is wonderful, it's tasty, colourful. I enjoyed every bit of a bite I took, especially the tandoori chicken," he said, describing his overall experience since arrival as great.
A Shared Sentiment Among South African Visitors
Another South African journalist echoed similar sentiments about the warmth of India's hospitality, noting that the stay had been comfortable throughout. "People have been really welcoming. Everywhere we went, it has been a joy to see the people of India," the journalist said, reinforcing a recurring theme among the visiting press corps about the accessibility and friendliness of everyday interactions during their stay.
A Malaysian Perspective on India's Development
Malaysian journalist Yasmin Natasha, on her first visit to India, offered a different angle of observation, focusing less on hospitality and more on the country's visible economic momentum. "Surprisingly, India is already developing rapidly, especially in terms of its economy. Transportation is also expanding and growing," she told IANS, a comment that reflects how India's infrastructure and economic growth are being noticed even by first-time visitors arriving primarily for a diplomatic assignment rather than an economic review.
A Historical and Linguistic Connection From Indonesia
Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati offered a more reflective take, drawing attention to the deep historical and linguistic ties between India and Indonesia. "I have learnt a lot about Indian culture. Actually, in terms of relationship, Indonesia and India are very close, with shared history and Sanskrit influences. For example, our currency is called the Rupiah, and your currency is called the Rupee. Both are similar in meaning. Our country's name, Indonesia, and yours, India, are also similar," she said, highlighting connections between the two nations that predate their shared presence within multilateral groupings like BRICS by centuries.
A Summit Remembered for More Than Diplomacy
Taken together, the reflections from these visiting journalists suggest that India's hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit is being remembered by at least some members of the international press not solely for its diplomatic outcomes, but also for the cultural, culinary and historical connections that surfaced during their time in the country, elements that often shape how a host nation's global image is quietly reinforced beyond the summit's official proceedings.
Also Read: PM Modi, Putin's 'Car Diplomacy' Continues In Delhi
Key Highlights:
- Foreign journalists covering the BRICS Summit in New Delhi praised India's hospitality and culture.
- Melissa Hollow from TV BRICS Africa described India as peaceful despite its massive population.
- Khaleej Times journalist Alyaa Al Dhanhani called India's hosting of the summit "well-organised."
- Malaysian journalist Yasmin Natasha noted India's rapid economic and transportation development.
- Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati highlighted shared Sanskrit-rooted linguistic ties between India and Indonesia.
A Warm Welcome Amid a Major Summit
As India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, foreign journalists covering the event have offered warm, personal accounts of their experience in the country, several describing the atmosphere as unexpectedly familiar and welcoming despite it being their first visit.
First Impressions From Africa
Melissa Hollow of TV BRICS Africa, visiting India and New Delhi for the first time, described the experience as humbling. "It has been so humbling and a beautiful experience. I have been to a few of the temples before the summit and also took a walk around the area. I can truly say that it's a very peaceful state. It's filled with billions of people, yet you feel at home. I did not feel lost at all. People were very helpful," she told IANS, adding that she had also come to appreciate Indian cuisine and culture during her stay.
Why This Kind of Coverage Matters for a Host Nation
For a country hosting a summit of this scale, involving journalists, officials and delegations from 21 member and partner nations, the informal, personal impressions shared by visiting media carry a different kind of diplomatic value than official statements. These accounts shape how India's hosting capabilities and cultural openness are perceived internationally, often reaching audiences that formal summit coverage alone would not.
Praise for the Summit's Organisation
Senior Khaleej Times journalist Alyaa Mohamed Obaid Ali Al Dhanhani focused her comments specifically on India's execution of the summit itself, describing the hosting as "well-organised" while also praising the hospitality extended to visiting journalists, a combination that speaks to India's broader ambitions of positioning itself as a capable host for large-scale international diplomatic gatherings.
Cuisine as a Recurring Theme
Food emerged as a consistent point of appreciation among the visiting journalists. Shadrack Hollow, also from TV BRICS Africa, who arrived on September 8, singled out Indian cuisine for particular praise. "The food is wonderful, it's tasty, colourful. I enjoyed every bit of a bite I took, especially the tandoori chicken," he said, describing his overall experience since arrival as great.
A Shared Sentiment Among South African Visitors
Another South African journalist echoed similar sentiments about the warmth of India's hospitality, noting that the stay had been comfortable throughout. "People have been really welcoming. Everywhere we went, it has been a joy to see the people of India," the journalist said, reinforcing a recurring theme among the visiting press corps about the accessibility and friendliness of everyday interactions during their stay.
A Malaysian Perspective on India's Development
Malaysian journalist Yasmin Natasha, on her first visit to India, offered a different angle of observation, focusing less on hospitality and more on the country's visible economic momentum. "Surprisingly, India is already developing rapidly, especially in terms of its economy. Transportation is also expanding and growing," she told IANS, a comment that reflects how India's infrastructure and economic growth are being noticed even by first-time visitors arriving primarily for a diplomatic assignment rather than an economic review.
A Historical and Linguistic Connection From Indonesia
Indonesian journalist Mega Mei Wahidawati offered a more reflective take, drawing attention to the deep historical and linguistic ties between India and Indonesia. "I have learnt a lot about Indian culture. Actually, in terms of relationship, Indonesia and India are very close, with shared history and Sanskrit influences. For example, our currency is called the Rupiah, and your currency is called the Rupee. Both are similar in meaning. Our country's name, Indonesia, and yours, India, are also similar," she said, highlighting connections between the two nations that predate their shared presence within multilateral groupings like BRICS by centuries.
A Summit Remembered for More Than Diplomacy
Taken together, the reflections from these visiting journalists suggest that India's hosting of the 18th BRICS Summit is being remembered by at least some members of the international press not solely for its diplomatic outcomes, but also for the cultural, culinary and historical connections that surfaced during their time in the country, elements that often shape how a host nation's global image is quietly reinforced beyond the summit's official proceedings.
Also Read: PM Modi, Putin's 'Car Diplomacy' Continues In Delhi