India chaired the 3rd BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) on 24 July 2026 in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai and attended by ministers and heads of delegations from all BRICS members.
Key Developments
- Unanimous adoption of the BRICS Joint Statement reaffirming the 2025‑2028 Work Plan.
- Launch of six flagship knowledge products to aid evidence‑based policy making across member states.
- High‑Level Policy Dialogue on "Advancing Climate‑Smart and Disaster‑Resilient Infrastructure".
- Ministerial Roundtable to share best practices and identify pathways for institutional cooperation, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Important Facts
The meeting built on earlier milestones – the Udaipur Declaration (2016) and the Kazan Declaration (2024). Under India’s chairship, the NDMA and the Ministry of Home Affairs emphasized a people‑centric approach guided by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Ten‑Point Agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction. The five strategic priorities highlighted were:
- Science & technology collaboration.
- Early warning systems.
- Resilient infrastructure.
- Nature‑based solutions – Using ecosystems to mitigate disaster impacts (GS3: Environment).
- Community resilience.
Exam Relevance
Understanding BRICS‑DRR cooperation touches multiple GS papers. It illustrates global governance (GS1), the role of central ministries in policy implementation (GS2), and the integration of DRR into sustainable development goals (GS3). The emphasis on science, technology and nature‑based solutions aligns with the climate action agenda, a recurring UPSC topic.
Way Forward
Member countries agreed to strengthen practical cooperation through regular technical exchanges, joint simulation exercises, expert visits and annual thematic work‑streams. The focus will be on measurable outcomes, innovative financing and scaling up nature‑based solutions to build resilient societies across the BRICS bloc.