India Unveils Tech Ambitions for BRICS 2026 Summit

India has placed technology cooperation among the top priorities of its 2026 BRICS chairship, with member countries advancing initiatives that will cover AI-driven agriculture, smart grids, energy storage, digital public infrastructure, and cross-border startup collaboration. The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Initiatives include a BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture, which will bring together technologies such as artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, and IoT-enabled monitoring for agricultural applications. IIT Delhi will initially coordinate the network. The technology agenda also includes smart grids and energy storage, with guiding principles and a Digital Centre of Excellence. Member countries will exchange expertise, build capabilities, share policy practices, and undertake pilot projects. Summit participants include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other leaders. The BRICS countries have agreed to cooperate on smart grids and energy storage, and a new Digital Centre of Excellence will facilitate knowledge sharing. Digital public infrastructure is part of the BRICS CONNECT for Skilling framework, which covers skills, employability, and digital public infrastructure. The grouping is also developing an MSME Cooperation Portal and a BRICS Incubator Network to support startups. For researchers, the BRICS Science and Research Repository will provide a common platform to store and share scientific research. With 11 members, BRICS is expanding its cooperation into areas such as AI, digital infrastructure, energy technology, scientific research, and startups. The 2026 agenda suggests that technology is becoming a more visible part of the grouping's cooperation.