India has proposed security and counter-terror cooperation as a priority area for intra-BRICS cooperation under its presidency of the Global South grouping, according to a press release by the MEA on Wednesday.
"Several Ministries and Departments of the Government of India presented India’s priorities and proposed activities under various BRICS thematic areas, including cooperation in health, agriculture, labour & employment, disaster risk reduction, environment, climate change, energy, innovation, ICT, security and counter-terrorism, economic and financial domains," it said.
Further, the MEA said that officials from the BRICS nations had a "productive exchange of views on institutional development of the BRICS grouping" during the two-day meeting, which was chaired by India's BRICS Sherpa Sudhakar Dalela, who is also Secretary (Economic Relations) at the Indian foreign ministry.
The theme of the Indian presidency is Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
"In line with India’s approach of having a "people-centric” Chairship, presentations on cooperation in sports, youth connect, cultural engagements, BRICS Academic Forum, BRICS Think Tank Council, BRICS Civil Forum as well as the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance were also made," the Indian statement read.
Indian officials have said that consolidation of the BRICS grouping and fully integrating the new members after the recent round of expansion, which saw 11 countries joining the grouping at the Kazan Summit, remains a focal area under the Indian presidency. The Kazan Summit also witnessed the introduction of the 'partner country model' in BRICS, with Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan enrolled as BRICS partners as of now.
Sherpas and officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and UAE participated in the meeting hosted by India. The representatives of the BRICS Partner countries participated at the opening session of the meeting.
"The BRICS Members and Partner countries appreciated the theme and priorities identified by India for its Chairship, which builds on the cooperative activities carried out under previous BRICS Chairships, and shared their perspectives in advancing priorities of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, and people-centric approach," MEA said.
As part of their two-day meeting in the Indian capital, the BRICS officials jointly called on External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday. Jaishankar described BRICS as a "valuable forum for international cooperation, consultation and coordination" following the call-on by BRICS Sherpas.
The BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas will continue to meet regularly during the course of the year to coordinate work across various thematic tracks, MEA said.
Participating in the meeting, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa Sergey Ryabkov summed up the results of the group's work in 2025 and emphasised the practical outcomes of BRICS activities across all areas of strategic partnership- in politics and security, economy and finance, as well as cultural and humanitarian exchange, according to a Russian Embassy readout.
Separately, a Chinese Embassy readout said that the Sherpas meeting provided the officials with an opportunity to start preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit later this year.
Separately, a Chinese Embassy readout said that the Sherpas meeting provided the officials with an opportunity to start preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit later this year.