India on Wednesday gave more teeth to the powerful 11-member bloc as New Delhi formally joined the BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies (BCIC) at an event organised by the country's Ministry of Commerce & Industry in New Delhi.
"The BCIC, launched in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), serves as a one-stop centre providing integrated support services to manufacturing companies and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across BRICS countries, with a focus on strengthening Industry 4.0 competencies," the Ministry said in a statement.
The agreement was formalised after India's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) inked the pact with UNIDO, paving the way for the country's induction in the BCIC framework.
"The National Productivity Council (NPC) has been designated as the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies. Under the policy guidance of DPIIT and with technical support from UNIDO, NPC will spearhead India's engagement with BCIC and contribute to capacity building, productivity enhancement and adoption of advanced manufacturing practices," the statement added.