Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday, June 13, 2026, shared his experience of visiting Mandu, the historic town in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, alongside agriculture ministers from BRICS nations, calling it a 'City of Joy' and describing the visit as deeply uplifting.

Posting on X, the minister wrote: 'मांडू City of Joy है। यहाँ आकर मन सचमुच में आनंद से भर जाता है।' — 'Mandu is the City of Joy. Coming here truly fills the heart with happiness.' He added that the group visited the historic town together and that the beauty and architecture of Jahaz Mahal captivated everyone present.

Context

Mandu, also known as Mandavgad, served as the capital of the Malwa Sultanate and is celebrated for its 15th- and 16th-century Afghan and Mughal-era monuments spread across a forested plateau in western Madhya Pradesh. The town is among the state's most prominent heritage tourism destinations, drawing visitors for its palaces, mosques, and reservoirs built over several centuries.

Jahaz Mahal, the 'Ship Palace', is the centrepiece of Mandu's architectural legacy. Built in the 15th century beside a lake, its elongated structure flanked by water on two sides gives it the appearance of a vessel at anchor — a sight that has long fascinated historians and tourists alike.

Policy Backdrop

BRICS — the grouping of major emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and later members — has convened agriculture ministers periodically since 2010 to coordinate on food security, agricultural trade, and sustainable farming practices. India has participated in multiple editions of these ministerial consultations, using the platform to advance its positions on global food governance.

India has a well-established practice of incorporating visits to heritage sites into the margins of multilateral ministerial gatherings, combining substantive diplomacy with cultural outreach. Hosting BRICS counterparts at a site of the stature of Mandu serves both as a gesture of hospitality and as a vehicle for showcasing Madhya Pradesh's heritage to an international audience.

Stakeholders and Impact

The visit carries direct significance for Madhya Pradesh's tourism sector, which has long positioned Mandu as a flagship heritage circuit. Exposure to senior ministers from BRICS economies — representing a significant share of the world's agricultural output and population — could generate renewed international interest in the site.

For the agriculture ministers in attendance, the cultural excursion represents the softer dimension of a multilateral engagement focused on food security and farm policy. Such interactions are widely regarded as essential to building the personal relationships that underpin productive ministerial diplomacy.

What's Next

The substantive outcomes of the BRICS agriculture ministers' meeting — including any joint statements on food security, trade facilitation, or sustainable agriculture — are expected to emerge in the coming days. Madhya Pradesh authorities may also follow up with tourism or heritage conservation announcements tied to the international visibility generated by the visit. The next scheduled BRICS agriculture ministerial will be one to watch for continuity on the agenda items discussed during this gathering.