India to host 3rd BRICS Culture Working Group meeting in Bhopal on August 5-6
New Delhi, August 4
India, as Chair of BRICS 2026, will host the 3rd BRICS Culture Working Group Meeting in Bhopal on August 5-6, the Ministry of Culture said in a post on Tuesday.
The meeting will bring together representatives from BRICS member states to advance cultural cooperation and build consensus on key areas ahead of the BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Culture said, "India, as Chair of BRICS 2026, is set to host the 3rd BRICS Culture Working Group Meeting in Bhopal, the City of Lakes, on 5-6 August 2026."
"Building on the momentum of the first two meetings, representatives from BRICS Member States will come together to advance cultural cooperation ahead of the BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting," it added.
The discussions during the two-day meeting will focus on three major priority areas, including "Creative Economy, Cultural & Creative Industries, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence"; "Protection of Cultural Heritage and Return of Cultural Property"; and "Culture, Climate and Sustainable Development".
The Ministry said the meeting reflects India's commitment to "strengthening cultural partnerships and fostering inclusive, sustainable growth through culture" under its BRICS Presidency.
Meanwhile, India on Tuesday called for stronger BRICS cooperation to trace fugitive offenders, support extradition, recover stolen assets and close loopholes enabling the cross-border movement of offenders and illicit funds during the 2nd BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) Meeting, which commenced in Hyderabad.
The two-day ACWG meeting, being held on August 4 and 5, also includes the 2nd Meeting of the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery.
The two-day programme includes deliberations on the BRICS Repository on Informal Cooperation for Tracing Fugitive Offenders Sought for Corruption and Supporting Extradition, the BRICS Network of Law Enforcement Practitioners, and the 2nd Meeting of the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery. The programme also includes a side event on Ethical Governance Through Innovation and Tech-Driven Systems, and a session on Emerging Risks from Financial Technology (FinTech) and Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs): Addressing their Misuse in Concealing and Laundering the Proceeds of Corruption.
A dedicated side event titled "Ethical Governance through Innovation and Tech-Driven Systems" will also be organised on 5 August 2026. The side event will provide a platform for BRICS members to exchange experiences on technology-enabled governance, including digital public procurement, citizen engagement, transparency, accountability and innovative approaches to strengthening integrity in public administration, according to an official release.
The BRICS group of emerging economies is a coalition of developing nations from various regions. The outreach session typically includes selected non-member countries and regional leaders. Currently, the eleven BRICS member states are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
India's BRICS Chairmanship in 2026 is guided by the overarching theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability ". BRICS serves as a useful platform for consultation and cooperation on contemporary issues having global as well as regional significance, and issues of global political and economic governance.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The focus on "Creative Economy, Cultural & Creative Industries, Copyright and AI" is exactly what we need. Our traditional crafts and digital innovation can complement each other beautifully. Hopefully this leads to real collaborations, not just talk.
Interesting to see BRICS expanding its agenda beyond economics. Cultural diplomacy is underrated—it builds bridges that trade agreements can't. The Hyderabad anti-corruption meet alongside is a smart pairing too.
Good initiative, but let's see how much of this translates into action. We've hosted many meetings before—the real test is whether our cultural heritage gets better protection and our artists get global platforms. Wishing the delegates a productive meet!
The "Return of Cultural Property" agenda is crucial! Many Indian artefacts are still in foreign museums. It's good that India is using its BRICS chairmanship to push this issue. Bhopal is a beautiful choice—hope the delegates enjoy the lakes and the rich heritage of the city. 🌊
Impressive coordination by India—handling culture, anti-corruption, and tech governance across multiple BRICS meetings simultaneously. The emphasis on FinTech risks is particularly timely given the global push on crypto regulation.
As someone from Bhopal, this is fantastic news! The city has such a unique blend of
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