Hyderabad, Aug 21: India will host the BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting and BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting in Visakhapatnam on August 22 and 23, respectively, bringing together ministers and Heads of Delegation from all 11 member countries for discussions on youth empowerment, sports cooperation, innovation and sustainable development.
The meetings will be held under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with a people-centric and humanity-first approach.
The ministerial engagements will build on discussions held during India’s chairship and seek to advance cooperation among BRICS members.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will chair the meetings, while Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse will participate. Youth Affairs Secretary Sunil Paliwal and Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao will also be associated with the proceedings.
The BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting on August 22 will focus on youth development and empowerment, covering education, skills, entrepreneurship, wellbeing and sustainable development.
It will consider recommendations from the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and BRICS Youth Summit and identify future areas of cooperation under successive BRICS Chairships.
The meeting is expected to culminate in the adoption of the BRICS Youth Ministerial Joint Declaration and the BRICS Youth Cooperation Framework.
The BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting on August 23 will focus on strengthening sports cooperation among the 11 member countries. Under India’s chairship, the Sports Track has prioritised traditional and indigenous sports, sports technology and sports manufacturing, besides work towards a joint declaration.
The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration.
The programme will also include the BRICS Friendship Cycling Event, country statements, bilateral meetings and cultural engagements.
Heads of Delegation from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates are expected to deliver statements during the Sports Ministers’ Meeting before the joint declaration is adopted.
The two-day engagements are expected to provide fresh momentum to BRICS cooperation in youth affairs and sports while advancing India’s broader priorities of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
