Iceland ex-President recalls serving then Indian President a veg meal 20 years ago
The menu at the BRICS gala dinner in New Delhi has become an unexpected talking point, with the decision to serve an entirely vegetarian spread drawing criticism from opposition leaders. Amid the row, former Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson recalled hosting the Indian President for a state dinner in 2005, where a fully vegetarian menu was served.
Grimsson served as Iceland President from 1996 to 2016. During his tenure, he hosted then-President APJ Abdul Kalam for a state dinner in May 2005, when Kalam visited Iceland on the first state visit by an Indian President to the country and the wider Nordic region.
"When I hosted the President of India for State Dinner on the first such visit to a Nordic country, I also offered an all-vegetarian menu. More than 20 years ago! And in #Iceland where it is not easy to be vegetarian!!" Grimsson wrote on X.
His remarks came in response to a post claiming that people were mocking the BRICS state dinner because it was vegetarian.
The controversy erupted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted BRICS leaders for a distinctly Indian vegetarian dinner at Bharat Mandapam during the two-day summit in New Delhi. The menu featured a range of traditional and contemporary Indian vegetarian dishes, including khandvi, paneer lababdar, gucchi marmik, millet pulao, mushroom galouti and jalebi.
Millets received particular prominence, reflecting India's push for Shree Anna and its wider emphasis on sustainability. The dinner was also designed to showcase Indian culinary traditions to visiting leaders. While some praised the spread as an expression of Indian cuisine, others questioned the absence of non-vegetarian options.RAHUL GANDHI, PAWAN KHERA TAKE AIM
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticised the decision, arguing that the menu did not reflect the dietary preferences of a large section of Indians.
"For the record: 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian. Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister's chole bhature," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X on Sunday, alongside a picture of the popular North Indian dish.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera backed Gandhi and accused the government of extending its dietary preferences to foreign dignitaries.
"The BJP's habit of imposing its dietary preferences on fellow Indians is already deeply problematic. Now, they have taken it a step further by imposing their own choices on dignitaries from across the world," he said. Khera argued that India's culinary diversity includes a wide range of non-vegetarian dishes and questioned why they were not showcased at the high-profile dinner.
India hosted the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, bringing together leaders from the expanded 11-member grouping along with partner countries and international organisations. The summit concluded on Sunday with the BRICS chairship passing to China, which will host the 19th summit in 2027. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated China and said the grouping was entering its third decade with the world expecting "concrete results".- EndsPublished By: Satyam SinghPublished On: Sep 13, 2026 19:12 IST
