India Leads BRICS Education Dialogue, Seeks Stronger Partnerships in Skills and Innovation

India will host the BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting in Bhubaneswar on Friday, with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi leading discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation among member countries in the education sector.

Joshi, who arrived in Odisha on Thursday for a two-day visit, will head the Indian delegation at the high-level meeting, which will see participation from education ministers, senior officials and representatives from Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia, Iran, Ethiopia and the UAE.

The meeting is expected to focus on key areas including Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), skill development, research and innovation, mutual recognition of academic qualifications and academic leadership. The deliberations are aimed at creating stronger partnerships among BRICS nations and promoting inclusive and resilient education frameworks.

Ahead of the ministerial meeting, the Ministry of Education hosted the 3rd BRICS Senior Officials’ Meeting under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 in Bhubaneswar on August 5. The meeting provided a platform for officials to examine the draft BRICS Education Ministers’ Declaration and work towards building consensus on the document, which will be presented for adoption by ministers.

According to an official statement, discussions during the senior officials’ meeting covered cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), collaborative research initiatives, innovation, recognition of qualifications and the promotion of academic leadership. The participating countries also highlighted the importance of improving institutional mechanisms, encouraging academic and research exchanges, sharing best practices and expanding capacity-building programmes.

The officials further discussed the BRICS Guiding Principles on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, underlining the importance of preserving and integrating diverse knowledge traditions into education systems.

The finalisation of the proposed declaration marked a significant milestone under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, reflecting the member countries’ shared commitment to advancing technology-driven, inclusive and globally connected education systems through cooperation and knowledge exchange.