World leaders will be served an all-vegetarian meal at the official dinner of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
New Delhi is to host about 40 global leaders, as well as the heads of international organisations, for the final summit of India's presidency.
No meat or eggs will be on the menu of Saturday's official dinner, which will be served on specially made tableware plated with gold and silver.
The meal will feature traditional vegetarian dishes, as well as others made using millet – a small-seeded grain that has been promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for its high protein content and health benefits.
India grows more than 17 million tonnes of millet grains a year, accounting for 80 per cent of Asia’s production and 20 per cent of global production.
A vegetarian lunch will also be served to the partners of heads of state and officials at the summit.
The dinner will be presented as a thali, with dishes served together on a large plate.
Foods from across the country will be on offer, including south Indian masala dosa – crepes made from ground rice and lentil with a spicy potato filling, Bihar state's litti chokha, balls of roasted wheat dough served with herbed mashed potato or aubergine, and rasgulla – spongy cottage cheese balls soaked in sugar syrup – from West Bengal.
The delegates will also be given samples of New Delhi’ street food, collectively known as chaat.
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Police personnel patrol a street in front of India’s presidential palace, Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, ahead of the commencement of the Delhi G20 Summit 2023. AFP -
A sand sculpture created by Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik representing US President Joe Biden's visit to India for the two-day G20 summit is pictured at Puri beach in India's Odisha state. AFP -
Indian paramilitary soldiers with a sniffer dog frisk the area near the venue ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations, in New Delhi, India. AFP -
A man walks past an installation on a skywalk ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. Reuters -
Municipal workers wash a side walk near a billboard featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wall paintings of Indian freedom fighters ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations, in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard near a life-size cutout of a langur at a forested area, meant to deter monkeys as the city hosts the G20 summit, in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
A man rides his trishaw past hoardings installed alongside a pavement ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. Reuters -
A cyclist rides past a bus stop with a poster of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of this week's summit of the Group of 20 nations in New Delhi, India. AP Photo -
A scrap iron sculpture of a lion, the national animal of Great Britain is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
A scrap iron sculpture of a magpie, the national bird of South Korea is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
A scrap iron sculpture of a puma, the national animal of Argentina is displayed at a park in New Delhi ahead of the G20 India summit. AFP -
Students give final touches to paintings of US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at an art school in Mumbai, ahead of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi. AFP -
Students of Gurukul School of Art hold portraits of the Japanese prime minister and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia for the upcoming G20 summit, in Mumbai, India. India is all set for the G20 summit scheduled for 09 and 10 September in New Delhi. EPA -
G20 signage welcomes foreign and national visitors in Delhi, India. The 18th G20 summit will take place September 9 - 10, 2023. Getty Images
As many as 200 artisans have created more than 15,000 pieces of tableware with floral and animal motifs that reflect India's cultural heritage.
Most of the pieces are a made of steel or brass and plated with silver. Welcome drinks will be served in gold-plated vessels, according to Iris Metalware, the company that produced the tableware.
About 70 per cent of India’s 1.4 billion population eat meat, but the national diet is predominantly vegetarian.
Mr Modi is vegetarian and leaders and members of his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have often spoken against eating meat.
Since the party swept to power in the 2014 general election, BJP-led governments in several states have banned the slaughter of cows, considered sacred by most Hindus.
Some officials have also banned the consumption of beef altogether and in some cases removed eggs from the midday meals provided to schoolchildren by state authorities.
