BRICS 2026: ‘Navarasa’ Celebrates The Universal Language Of Emotions Through Indian Arts

The 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi featured a special cultural presentation, ‘Navarasa – The Universe of Shared Emotions,’ during the BRICS Leaders’ Summit Gala Dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The performance highlighted India’s rich artistic traditions and the universal power of emotions. It brought together different forms of Indian art to showcase how emotions can transcend language, geography and cultural boundaries.

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Navarasa Event featured at the 18th BRICS Summit

A special cultural event, ‘Navarasa – The Universe of Shared Emotions,’ was organised during the BRICS Leaders’ Summit Gala Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday evening.

The concept of Navarasa comes from the ancient Indian performing arts tradition and refers to the nine fundamental emotions expressed through dance, theatre and other art forms. These include love, humour, compassion, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder and peace.

The symphony created a shared artistic expression that reflected the diversity, cultural richness and spirit of togetherness of the BRICS family.

The BRICS Leaders Summit's gala dinner made the evening special with 'Navarasa - The Universe of Shared Emotions'. The highlight was 'BRICS Symphony - One Rhythm, Many Cultures', where musicians from member and partner countries blended their cultural diversity into one melody. pic.twitter.com/KmKi9bM3hv

— GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) September 13, 2026

Celebration

Presented during the BRICS Leaders’ Summit, the cultural showcase added an artistic dimension to the high-level diplomatic gathering. Through music, movement, expressions and traditional performance practices, ‘Navarasa’ aimed to present India’s cultural heritage to an international audience.

The performance also reflected the broader theme of cultural exchange among BRICS nations. While the member countries have diverse histories, languages and artistic traditions, emotions remain a common thread that connects people across societies.

India has a long history of using performing arts as a means of storytelling and cultural expression. Classical dance traditions, music and theatre have historically relied on expressive gestures, facial expressions and movement to communicate stories and emotions.

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Take a look at Sangam: A Confluence of Cultures; a large-scale collaborative public art project created by artists from 9 countries.

Inspired by the Indian concept of Sangam, where rivers from different origins meet and flow together, the artwork brings together artists and… pic.twitter.com/CYwIr6ty78

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) September 11, 2026

Significance

The ‘Navarasa’ presentation at the BRICS Summit served not only as an entertainment programme but also as a representation of India’s soft power and cultural diversity. It provided visiting leaders and delegates with an opportunity to experience an aspect of the country’s artistic heritage alongside the diplomatic proceedings.

The 18th BRICS Summit, being held in New Delhi, has brought together leaders and representatives from member and partner countries for discussions on global issues, cooperation and strengthening multilateral partnerships.