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India is set to host a high-level virtual and in-person assembly on August 21 under its BRICS Chairship, and Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M Scindia will chair the meeting.
Communications Ministers and senior representatives from BRICS member countries will participate in the meeting in Pune to discuss cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), digital transformation, innovation and resilient digital infrastructure. The meeting will be organized under India's overarching BRICS Chairship theme- "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" while the ICT track will specifically focus on the theme: "Innovate, Cooperate and Transform (ICT) for a Resilient Future." Key priorities on the ministerial agenda include: Emerging Tech & Infrastructure: Deliberations on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), future networks, and building resilient connectivity across member states. It also includes strengthening joint mechanisms for cybersecurity, capacity building, and digital governance. The meeting will provide an opportunity for BRICS member countries to share best practices to accelerate digital adoption and empower economies across BRICS and the wider Global South. The discussions will focus on reviewing progress led by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the BRICS Working Group for ICT cooperation. Building upon the framework established during the 11th Ministerial Meeting hosted by Brazil in 2025, India's leadership emphasises fostering secure, inclusive, and sustainable tech ecosystems. As part of the schedule, Union Minister Scindia will address a press briefing on the outcomes of the summit and inaugurate the Digital BRICS Forum Expo, an exhibition designed to showcase cutting-edge digital innovations and facilitate technology transfer across member nations. BRICS brings together 11 major emerging markets and developing countries - Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. As part of India's BRICS Chairship for 2026, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is leading and organising the BRICS ICT Track (Information and Communication Technologies Track) in Pune from August 17 to 21. The programme commenced with the 7th BRICS ICT Working Group Meeting, which was held from August 17 to August 19. Delegates deliberated on key priority areas such as Developing ICT Ecosystems for Universal, Meaningful, Affordable, Sustainable and Resilient Connectivity, Trusted, Secure and Human-Centric Digital Environments, Digital Skills and Capacity Development for inclusive growth and Strengthening Innovation, Startups and Entrepreneurship in ICT including Artificial Intelligence, next-generation communications, Digital Public Infrastructure, cybersecurity, child online protection and digital ecosystem cooperation. (ANI)
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