India Highlights Sustainability Priorities at First BRICS Sherpa Meeting for 2026

India convened its first BRICS Sherpa meeting in New Delhi as part of its preparations to assume the BRICS chairmanship in 2026, placing sustainability and development cooperation at the centre of discussions. Senior government representatives from BRICS member countries met to review India’s proposed agenda and align expectations for the year ahead.

A key focus of the meeting was advancing sustainable development across emerging economies, with India underscoring the importance of balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility. Discussions highlighted cooperation in areas such as climate resilience, clean energy transitions, sustainable infrastructure, and resource efficiency, reflecting shared development challenges faced by BRICS nations.

India also emphasised the role of BRICS in promoting inclusive and equitable development, particularly through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and South–South cooperation. Government officials stressed the need for collective action on climate adaptation, sustainable finance, and strengthening institutional frameworks that support long-term environmental and social outcomes.

The meeting concluded with agreement to carry forward sustainability-linked priorities through upcoming working group discussions and ministerial engagements. These deliberations will shape the BRICS agenda under India’s 2026 chairmanship, reinforcing the bloc’s role in supporting sustainable growth and development pathways for its member countries.

The BRICS 2026 agenda is likely to reshape how emerging-market corporates think about sustainability disclosure, particularly around South-South frameworks that complement BRSR, ISSB and CSRD. Our ESG-strategy and market-intelligence teams help clients position for this multi-framework reality where a single ESG story now needs to work across Indian, European and BRICS-partner audiences.