No foreign policy advisor could’ve predicted that the real diplomatic breakthrough would arrive not through classified memos or bilateral treaties, but wrapped in a banana leaf or sizzling on a tava. Yet, in 2025, Indian street food—chaotic, colourful, and chaat-laden—has quietly emerged as one of the country’s most flavour-packed cultural ambassadors, winning hearts and stomachs across embassies and high offices around the globe.
From the alleys of Chandni Chowk to the boulevards of Brussels, what was once considered humble fare is now a preferred tool in India’s soft power arsenal, dishing out diplomacy one spicy bite at a time.
Diplomacy Served Hot
Keiichi Ono, the Japanese Ambassador to India, summed it up best with three Bhojpuri words that broke the internet earlier this year: “Gajab Swad Ba!”—after sampling Bihar’s iconic litti chokha. The tweet, posted with a grinning selfie and a banana leaf plate, drew widespread praise and sparked conversations around cultural appreciation and gastronomic exchange.
It’s not an isolated case. In 2023, Italian Ambassador Vincenzo De Luca turned heads when he was spotted queuing up for dosa and sambar at a Delhi street stall. “This is diplomacy you can taste,” he joked later, after his impromptu breakfast diplomacy went viral. Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki, in Pune, met his match in a fiery vada pav–misal pav combo. His gentle plea—“Thoda teekha kam, please!”—was arguably the most relatable diplomatic negotiation of the year.
German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann has been another enthusiastic participant in India’s culinary narrative. His fondness for Karim’s kebabs and Chandni Chowk’s paranthas is well documented, but his sweetest sentiment lies with Indian mangoes. “Europe deserves good mangoes,” he declared in 2024, becoming an unofficial ambassador for the Alphonso export lobby.
From Cart to Carte: Street Food Makes VIP Protocol
The G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023 marked a milestone in India’s culinary diplomacy. Delegates from around the world were offered an elaborate vegetarian spread curated from across India’s diverse regions, featuring Mughlai kebabs, tangy chaat, and the comforting warmth of tadka dal.
At a luncheon for the spouses of world leaders, the fusion of food and culture continued. Held at the National Gallery of Modern Art, the menu offered delicacies like chaat, piping hot poori bhaji, and regional sweets—celebrating India’s street-side staples in a fine-dining setting.
The same month, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Deputy PM Sigrid Kaag were served a South Indian breakfast by celebrated chef Davinder Kumar. The menu included idli, medu vada, masala dosa, sambar, and filter coffee—a spread fit for royalty, or at least for rewriting diplomatic norms.
The New Lexicon of Soft Power
India’s street food diplomacy represents a shift from the traditional frameworks of statecraft. Where once diplomacy leaned heavily on closed-door negotiations and formal state dinners, it’s now being enriched by the clink of steel plates and the shared joy of golgappas. These authentic culinary experiences create genuine cultural bridges—ones built on curiosity, respect, and a mutual love for good food.
“This is public diplomacy at its most personal,” says Professor Radhika Iyengar, a cultural historian at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “When a foreign leader embraces street food, they’re not just eating—they’re immersing themselves in the everyday life of India. It sends a message that goes far beyond policy.”
Chaat Over Chatter?
While diplomacy will never forgo formal dialogue, it’s clear that street food is playing an increasingly important role in building softer, more lasting impressions. Whether it’s a samosa shared in an embassy courtyard or a ladle of spicy rasam served at an international summit, these moments of culinary exchange are proving to be powerful agents of connection.
As Indian street food takes centre stage in global engagements, one thing is becoming clear: the way to a foreign dignitary’s heart might just be through a well-spiced bhel puri. India’s street food revolution isn’t just feeding appetites—it’s fuelling global goodwill. And in a world hungry for authentic connection, sometimes the best diplomacy starts with a plate, not a podium.
