BRICS STI Cooperation under India's 2026 Presidency

India's BRICS Presidency: 2026, theme – Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
BRICS+ Membership: Original five (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) + Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran – total 11 members.
Global Share: ~49.5% of world population, 40% of global GDP, 26% of world trade.
New Development Bank (NDB): Established 2015, headquartered in Shanghai; focuses on infrastructure and sustainable development.
Major Declarations: Sanya Declaration (2011), Kazan Declaration, Rio de Janeiro Declaration (2025) – emphasize deep‑tech and AI.
Key Initiatives:
2015 BRICS STI MoU and Young Scientist Forum (YSF).
2017‑2020 Action Plan for Innovation Cooperation.
2021‑2024 Innovation Action Plan – India led data sharing from a BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation.

Origins of BRICS: Term coined by Jim O’Neill (2001); formal grouping after 2006 Russia‑India‑China meeting; first summit 2009 (Yekaterinburg).
Evolution of STI Cooperation: From academic exchanges to entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and joint mega‑science projects.
BRICS+ Expansion: Aims to broaden South‑South cooperation, bring new capital, and diversify technological capacities.

Strategic Leverage: India can showcase Digital Public Infrastructure (Aadhaar, UPI, Digital India) as scalable models for other members.
Mega‑Science Projects: Proposals for a BRICS Mega‑Science Consortium, clean‑energy R&D consortium, and digital health grid.
Techno‑Multipolarity: Positions BRICS as an alternative to Western‑dominated standards in AI, data governance, and space.

R&D Asymmetry: Wide gap in Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D; China dominates.
Geopolitical Trust Deficit: India‑China tensions hinder deep collaboration on dual‑use technologies.
Institutional Voids: No permanent STI secretariat; rotating presidency leads to discontinuity.
Funding Constraints: NDB focuses on physical infrastructure; lack of dedicated STI fund.
Private‑Sector Engagement: Predominantly state‑driven initiatives; limited startup and VC participation.

Permanent STI Secretariat for continuity.
Dedicated STI Innovation Fund within NDB or as a separate entity.
Mega‑Science Joint Missions (e.g., shared satellite constellations, health research networks).
Unified Tech Governance: Common AI, data, and IP standards.
Enhanced Private‑Sector Integration via iBRICS platforms and B2B tech corridors.

Article 73 & 300A – Parliament’s power to enter into international agreements; implications for STI treaties.
Foreign Trade Policy 2023 – Emphasis on technology exports and collaborations.
National Digital Communications Policy 2024 – Supports cross‑border digital infrastructure.

Remember dates: 2011 Sanya Declaration, 2015 STI MoU, 2025 Rio Declaration.
Know the composition and global share of BRICS+.
Understand India’s DPI strengths (Aadhaar, UPI) and how they can be leveraged.
Be able to discuss both the potential and limitations of BRICS as a platform for techno‑multipolarity.

Drishti Mains Question: BRICS is emerging as a platform for techno‑multipolarity. Discuss its significance and limitations.