Page 22 - NIS English 1-15 Oct, 2026

COVER STORY | BRICS 2026

conferences. Ministerial meetings held in the weeks
leading up to the summit defined the direction of this
presidency. The ‘Chennai Declaration’ was approved at The weaponization of technology
the 14th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and critical minerals can hinder
Ministerial Meeting in Chennai, establishing a consensus our shared progress. That is why
on enhancing cooperation in fields such as artificial we have emphasized inclusivity in
intelligence, quantum technology, and biotechnology,
as well as creating a BRICS science and research repos- the adoption of technology.
itory. At the 13th Education Ministers’ Meeting held in Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
Bhubaneswar on August 7, an agreement was reached
regarding the ethical use of artificial intelligence in
education, alongside efforts to improve early childhood demics, alongside a decision to establish a new network
education and foundational literacy. During the 12th En- on mental health under the coordination of NIMHANS.
vironment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on August 18, At the meeting of agriculture ministers held in Indore, a
India highlighted four key priorities: sustainable lifestyles, consensus was reached to establish the farmer-centric
afforestation, the circular economy, and climate adapta- ‘BRICS AGRIN (Agro-Inputs, Genetic Resources, and
tion. The ‘Jaipur Declaration’ was adopted at the Tourism Information Network). The Women Ministerial Meeting
Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur on August 21, emphasizing in Kochi, the Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Bhopal (where
the use of technology in tourism and the promotion of the ‘Bhopal Declaration’ was adopted), the Transport
sustainable tourism. A meeting of Youth Ministers took Ministers’ Meeting in Nagpur, and the first BRICS Small
place in Visakhapatnam on August 22, where delegates and Medium Enterprises (SME) Forum in Agra collectively
also participated in a tree-planting drive under the ‘Ek demonstrated the extensive and inclusive nature of
Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. India’s presidency.
The 16th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting, held in The BRICS Business Forum held in New Delhi on Sep-
Chandigarh on July 23, was particularly significant; it saw tember 11 was the largest of its kind to date. Addressing
agreements reached on universal health coverage, tuber- the gathering, Prime Minister Modi noted that while
culosis eradication, and early warning systems for pan- global GDP has grown approximately two-and-a-half

20 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || Oct 1-15, 2026