Moscow and India: Cultures Growing Closer
From August 20 to 23, 2026, the 11th Indian culture festival, India Day, will take place at Moscow’s Gostiny Dvor exhibition complex. Over four days, visitors will be able to immerse themselves in Indian culture, take part in workshops and yoga sessions, and try the country’s national cuisine.
This year’s theme is “Unity of Cultures — Friendship of Peoples.” For four days, guests will have access to more than 20 themed zones, an Indian bazaar with over 120 stalls, a restaurant row featuring cuisine from different states, and cultural, dance, culinary, and family programs. For the first time in the festival’s history, there will be a large-scale business program dedicated to interregional and international cooperation.
The organizer is the Indian Cultural and National Center SITA. The event is held with support from the Government of Moscow, the Embassy of India in Russia, the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, the Indian Business Council, the Business Council for Cooperation with India Association, the Roscongress Foundation, and the Rossiya Segodnya International Media Group, with support from the autonomous non-profit organization Moscow Center for International Cooperation.
Festival founder and president of the SITA center Sammy Mandoj Kotwani emphasized that the festival’s concept is built around two ideas: the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared by Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“The Whole World Is One Family”). The festival is envisioned as a space where cultures meet, interact, and grow closer.
The main cultural program will bring together more than 700 artists, musicians, and dancers from Russia, India, BRICS and CIS countries. Drummers will come specially from India, and their rhythms will set the mood throughout the celebration.
The venue will feature a bazaar with traditional goods, textiles, jewelry, and spices; a food area with dishes ranging from northern states to southern and street food; and zones for yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, mehndi, astrology, and a lecture hall. There will be workshops on Indian dance and cooking. Visitors can take part in a prize draw, with the main prize being a ticket to India.
For families with children, there will be drawing, kids’ yoga, a chess tournament, Bollywood dance lessons, and language games in Russian and Hindi. Couples can take part in a traditional Indian wedding ceremony with the seven sacred circles ritual — a symbol of love, trust, and family well-being. Registration is available in the “Wedding Zone” section on the festival website.
New this year: a morning program, Sunrise India, with a DJ set, Bollywood workshops, masala tea, and mango drinks, plus the Parade of International Unity — a procession featuring representatives of Indian states, Russian regions, CIS and BRICS countries. Another key event is the fashion show Royal Fabrics of India, featuring regional costumes, jewelry, handicrafts, and Indo-fusion looks.
The business program will be held for the first time as the BRICS Pre-Summit Business Forum. It will bring together company executives, government officials, financial institutions, chambers of commerce and industry, regional administrations, and investors. Key topics include trade, investment, finance, regional partnership, logistics, tourism, innovation, and cultural diplomacy.
Admission to the festival is free. Everyone who registers at indiaday.ru will receive a gift.