BRICS Academic Mid-Term Conference highlights India's 'humanity-first' vision ahead of summit
Dehradun, May 30
The BRICS Academic Mid-Term Conference on "Resilience and Sustainability" concluded in Dehradun on Friday, bringing together more than 200 delegates from 36 institutions across eight countries to discuss green industrial transformation, climate finance, biodiversity protection, and the future role of BRICS under India's 2026 presidency.
The conference was organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and Doon University.
In the inaugural session, speakers emphasised that "BRICS is not merely an economic grouping but a platform representing the aspirations of the Global South, and that sustainability must be fair and just. With 11 member countries and 10 partner countries representing nearly half the world's population and 40 per cent of global GDP (PPP), India's Chairship theme--Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability--adopts a humanity-first approach aligned with Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam."
The Inaugural Session featured addresses by Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd), Governor of Uttarakhand; Anand Bardhan, Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand; Shambhu L. Hakki, BRICS Sous Sherpa & Joint Secretary (MER), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Surekha Dangwal, Vice Chancellor, Doon University; and Harsh V. Pant, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation; Executive Director, BRICS Think Tanks Council, India.
A key highlight of the event was a spotlight address by Mehul Pandya, Managing Director and Group CEO, CareEdge Group, who marked the launch of "Breaking Convention: How CareEdge Global Ratings is Redefining Global Credit Risk Assessment", a report jointly published by ORF and the CareEdge Group. The report argued that sovereign credit assessment frameworks should better reflect the realities and development trajectories of emerging economies.
"Green Industrial Transformation in a Fragmented Global Economy" underscored that green transitions must create jobs, support MSMEs and protect livelihoods. Speakers stressed that context-specific solutions and stronger intra-BRICS supply chains are essential to reduce dependence on external chokepoints and enhance resilience.
The session on "Protecting Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge Systems" called for moving beyond what speakers described as "Eurocentric models" and advocated greater recognition of local knowledge and traditional ecological practices. Delegates urged BRICS nations to deepen South-South cooperation through environmental diplomacy and stronger integration of Indigenous knowledge into conservation efforts.
In discussions on "Scaling Climate Finance for the Green Transition", experts argued that the central issue is not a lack of global capital but its unequal distribution. Participants called for climate finance to be treated as an integral component of development strategy and highlighted the role of multilateral development banks in de-risking investments and improving access to funding for vulnerable communities.
The conference concluded with an open-house discussion titled "Creative Consensus: India's Role in Re-centring BRICS," featuring Shambhu Hakki and Harsh Pant.
The discussion focused on India's "humanity-first, people-centric approach to global engagement," rooted in the ethos of "Vishwabandhu" or friend of the world. Hakki highlighted India's capacity-sharing model that seeks to move beyond traditional donor-recipient frameworks through initiatives such as Vaccine Maitri, Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme, Digital Public Infrastructure, International Solar Alliance, and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
According to the organisers, the conference's cross-sectoral discussions generated policy-relevant recommendations and analytical inputs that will contribute to deliberations ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit in September.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Lovely to see Dehradun hosting such a high-level conference! The focus on biodiversity and indigenous knowledge is so important—too often our traditional practices are ignored in global conversations. Hope this leads to real action on the ground. 🙏
Good intentions, but let's be honest—how many of these conferences actually translate into tangible results? The climate finance discussion is crucial, but we need more than just talk. India should push for concrete commitments on technology transfer and funding for developing nations. Just my two paise.
"Vaccine Maitri" and the International Solar Alliance—India is genuinely walking the talk on global cooperation. As a student, I find this "capacity-sharing model" far more inspiring than the old donor-recipient dynamic. BRICS can truly reshape global governance if we stay focused.
Impressive to see 36 institutions from 8 countries at one conference! The stress on "context-specific solutions" for green industrial transformation really resonates—one-size-fits-all approaches from the West have failed too many economies. India's presidency could be a game-changer. 🌱
Excellent point about sovereign credit ratings needing reform! The current framework punishes developing nations unfairly. CareEdge's report sounds timely. But I worry—will BRICS have the collective muscle to challenge Western-dominated institutions like the IMF? Time will tell.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.