India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 marked the successful conduct of the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and BRICS Youth Summit held on 19th August 2026 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, organised by the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. India’s BRICS Chairship is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The BRICS Youth engagements reflected a ‘people-centric’ and ‘humanity first’ approach, aligning youth cooperation with the broader priorities of the BRICS framework.
The inaugural session was graced by the presence of Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Harsh Sanghavi; Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse; Acting Chief Secretary, Govt. of Gujarat, Dr. Anju Sharma; Additional Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Shri Nitesh Kumar Mishra, and Heads of Delegation and Representatives from BRICS Member and Partner Countries.The BRICS Youth Summit featured thematic discussions structured around the key priority areas of youth cooperation: Education, Entrepreneurship & Future Readiness; Inclusive Development & Youth Wellbeing; Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility and People-to-People Cooperation & Youth Engagement. The discussions provided an opportunity for young leaders and experts to share perspectives, experiences and innovative approaches, while exploring avenues for deeper cooperation among BRICS youth.
The BRICS Youth Council Meeting, held alongside the Youth Summit, brought together representatives of BRICS Member Countries to deliberate on priority areas of youth cooperation. The Council deliberated on the Draft Joint Declaration and the BRICS Youth Cooperation Framework, taking into consideration the observations, national experiences and best practices shared by Member Countries. The deliberations contributed towards arriving at consensus-based outcomes ahead of the BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held on 22 August 2026 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The BRICS members and partner delegates also experienced the rich cultural traditions of Gujarat through traditional cuisine and cultural interactions, fostering greater appreciation of the diverse heritage of India and creating opportunities for meaningful exchange of ideas, experiences and practices among participating countries.
The successful conduct of the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and BRICS Youth Summit in Gandhinagar, set against the city’s vibrant cultural and institutional landscape, reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening youth-led cooperation within BRICS and providing young people with meaningful platforms to contribute to the shared priorities and future of the BRICS family.
