INSA convenes BRICS Science Academies Forum on AI for sustainable development, focuses on inclusive global cooperation
New Delhi, June 9
The Indian National Science Academy, as part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026, convened the first meeting of the BRICS Science Academies Forum 2026 virtually under the theme "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development and Strengthening Global South Cooperation."
According to the Ministry of Science & Technology, the forum brought together science academies from ten nations-Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Belarus, Nigeria and Vietnam-to advance a shared declaration on responsible and equitable AI development.
The meeting was moderated by Debashis Mitra, Vice President (International), INSA, who led structured discussions among participating academies. In his welcome remarks, he noted that the forum is being organised as part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026 under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," and highlighted INSA's role in advancing the scientific agenda.
INSA President Shekhar C Mande said, "This forum aspires to move beyond dialogue. AI must become a practical instrument for inclusive and sustainable development across the Global South."
During the meeting, a draft declaration on AI for science and sustainable development was reviewed and strengthened, with consensus emerging on shared computing infrastructure, collaborative data platforms and multilingual AI models. Calls were also made for joint task forces, researcher mobility schemes and open-source scientific infrastructure.
The draft declaration was presented by Ambuj Sagar, Founding Head, School of Public Policy, IIT Delhi, who highlighted issues around unequal distribution of AI capacity and the widening digital divide. The declaration aims to use AI to accelerate scientific discovery in areas such as materials science, drug development, climate modelling and engineering, while ensuring equitable benefits for the Global South.
Participating academies provided several recommendations. China's Chinese Academy of Sciences called for collaborative AI readiness benchmarks, scientific data-sharing frameworks, open-source infrastructure and responsible AI evaluation mechanisms addressing bias, reliability and local context. Egypt's ASRT emphasised AI's potential in food security, healthcare, education, energy and climate change, along with investments in research and capacity building.
Indonesia highlighted AI's role in disaster risk management and sustainable agriculture, while Ethiopia called for cooperation in cybersecurity and digital safety. Vietnam proposed joint task forces and shared digital public infrastructure, and Nigeria stressed AI applications for scientific innovation and governance. South Africa supported open-source AI models and raised concerns on costs and social science aspects, while Belarus focused on responsible AI use in healthcare and cybersecurity.
Summarising the discussions, Anurag Agrawal, Vice-President (Science Policy), INSA, said, "South-South BRICS cooperation in AI can bring change in a far more equitable way, one that leads to genuinely sustainable development."
He identified key areas of consensus including shared computing infrastructure, open data ecosystems, technology sovereignty, energy-efficient data centres, human resource development and multilingual AI resources.
The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of integrating humanities and social sciences into AI development, along with the need for ethical standards, governance frameworks and strong data-sharing mechanisms for trustworthy AI systems.
According to the announcement, the recommendations will be included in a revised draft declaration, and delegations from BRICS countries and partner nations will meet in person at IIT Hyderabad on July 22-23, 2026, where the declaration is expected to be finalised.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see INSA taking charge. But I hope the final declaration includes concrete funding mechanisms, not just aspirational goals. We've seen too many BRICS declarations that collect dust. The Global South needs action on AI capacity building - especially in healthcare and agriculture for rural communities.
The mention of energy-efficient data centres and humanities integration is crucial. AI development cannot be purely technical - we need ethical frameworks that respect diverse cultural contexts. Glad India is pushing for that balance. Also, researcher mobility schemes will help our brilliant minds collaborate better.
Honestly, I'm skeptical. China and Russia have their own strategic AI agendas - will they truly share technology with smaller nations? India needs to ensure this isn't a photo-op but builds real South-South cooperation. The IIT Hyderabad meeting in July will be the real test.
This is exactly the kind of initiative we need! AI for climate modelling, drug development, and disaster management - these are areas where India and other developing nations have huge potential. The focus on multilingual models is particularly important for a diverse country like ours. Well done, INSA! 👏
Two things bother me: 1) No mention of how this will impact local startups and small innovators in BRICS countries. 2) The 'responsible AI' framing often becomes a way for developed nations to impose standards. India must ensure the declaration serves our national interests first, while being collaborative.
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