The BRICS STI cooperation, guided by the BRICS Vision to strengthen the BRICS partnership for common development and advance cooperation, was seeded during the 3rd BRICS Summit at Sanya, China, on April 14, 2011. Reflecting the principle of voluntary participation,equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity, availability of resources in each BRICS country, People-centered and public -good driven STI supporting equitable growth and sustainable development forms the basis of cooperation within the framework of BRICS.

The governance mechanisms of BRICS STI cooperation include the Science, Technology and innovation Ministerial Meeting, Senior Officials Meetings (SOM),and the Working Group level (WG) meetings. The last meetings of BRICS STI Ministers, BRICS SOM and BRICS WG were held in China in 2017 whereas the next meetings are scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2018

BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation was signed on March 18, 2015 at Brasilia, Brazil on the sideline of 2nd BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting. The objectives of the MoU are to establish a strategic framework of cooperation in STI to address the common global, and regional socio-economic challenges utilizing shared experiences and complementarities in STI among the BRICS countries; co-generate new knowledge and innovative products, services and processes. The MoU envisages promotion of cooperation in the field of science, technology and innovation among BRICS countries by means of mutually agreed S&T events and activities. Main areas of Cooperation have been identified which include:

• Exchange of information on policy and programme and promotion of innovation and technology transfer;
• food security and sustainable agriculture;
• climate change and natural disaster preparedness and mitigation;
• new and renewable energy, energy efficiency;
• nanotechnology;
• high performance computing, basic research;
• space research aeronautics; astronomy and earth observation;
• medicine and biotechnology;
• biomedicine and life sciences (biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, biomaterials), water resources and pollution treatment;
• high tech zones/science parks ad incubators;
• technology transfer; science popularization ;
• information and communication technology;
• clean coal technology;
• natural gas and non conventional gases;
• ocean and polar sciences and, geospatial technologies and its applications.Astronomy - South Africa,Biotechnology and biomedicine including human health and neuroscience-led Brazil & Russia,Information technologies and high performance computing-China & South Africa,Ocean and polar science and technology-Brazil & Russia,Material science including nanotechnology-led by India & Russia;
• Photonics-India & Russia.

BRICS Thematic Workshop/ Working Group meetings has been organized in the areas of
(i) Climate Change, Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters in Brazil
(ii) Solid State Lighting in Guangzhou, China
(iii) Astronomy in Cape town South Africa
(iv) Geospatial Technology and Application for Development in India.

BRICS STI Framework Programme: BRICS Coordinated Call for multilateral R&D projects

During 1st BRICS STI Funding Working Group Meeting in Beijing in January 2016, China BRICS country adopted on arrangement for BRICS STI Framework Program and Implementation Plan for BRICS Multilateral research and Innovation project. The BRICS STI Framework Programme aims to support excellent research on priority areas which can best be addressed by a multinational approach. The initiative should facilitate cooperation among the researchers and institutions in the consortia which consist of partners from at least three of the BRICS countries. As part of the initiative the following research funding organizations from the BRICS countries have agreed to jointly establish a new scheme for funding multilateral cooperative activities:

• Brazil: National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)


• Russia: Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) Ministry of Education and Science (MON) Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR)


• India: Department of Science and Technology (DST)


• China: Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)


• South Africa: Department of Science and Technology (DST) National Research Foundation (NRF)

BRICS Young Scientist Forum:

The idea of engaging BRICS youth was mooted by Hon'ble Indian Prime Minister in the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza Brazil. BRICS leaders attending the 7th BRICS Summit in Ufa, Russia in 2015 endorsed India's proposal of creating the BRICS Young Scientist Forum with India as the coordinating country. During 3rd BRICS STI Ministerial Meeting in Moscow on 28 October 2015, welcomed the creation of BRICS Young Scientist Forum and establishing the BRICS Young Scientist Forum Secretariat in India to be coordinated by Department of Science and Technology (Govt of India) As part of BRICS Young Scientists Forum activities, the 1st BRICS Young Scientist Conclave was hosted in Bangalore in September 2016 and 2nd BRICS YS Conclave was held in Hangzhou, China in July 2017. The 3rd BRICS YS Conclave is scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2018. For further details and information about BRICS YS Conclave, please contact Mr R K Sharma (email- Sharma_rk [at] nic [dot] in) .

Key highlights of BRICS STI Cooperation:

i. To promote collaborative research and development among BRICS countries, eight BRICS scientific funding agencies together (including Department of Science and Technology from India) has agreed to invest approx.US$ 10 million. 1st Joint Call was launched in 2016 and consequently total 26 BRICS multi-counties R&D projects were funded in the areas of advanced materials & nanotechnology, Biotechnology & biomedicine, New & Renewable energy, ICT, Astronomy. The 2nd Call for joint proposals was launched in September 2017.

ii.Recognising importance of innovation as a key driver for mid and long term economic growth and global sustainable development, India has taken leadership role to build BRICS Science, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Partnership. In this regard, Action Plan for BRICS Innovation Cooperation (2017-2020) was prepared in India's leadership which was endorsed by 5th BRICS Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting in China on 18 July 2017 and finally signed on 5th September 2017th at IXth BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China. Action Plan has initial focus on creation of networks of science parks, technology business incubators and SMEs, and to create talent pools for converting ideas into solutions to address societal challenges. The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India from India and the counterpart Ministries/Departments from other BRICS countries shall be the implementing agencies the said Action Plan.

iii. The BRICS Young Scientist Forum/Conclave, coordinated by India as Secretariat, is becoming an effective platform to network young creative talent. The Department of Science & Technology deputed a team of 25 young Indian scientist in the 2nd BRICS Young Scientists Conclave held at Hangzhou, China during 11-15 July 2017. These young researchers got a unique opportunities discuss pressing problems of the society such as affordable energy solutions, affordable health etc and their solutions through scientific exploration and technological innovations.

iv. BRICS Leaders during IXth BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China echoed, amplified and endorsed the diversified ongoing scientific collaboration under the Framework of BRICS scientific and technological MoU and agreed to work on a cooperation platform for innovation and entrepreneurship and support the implementation of the BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan 2017-20.

Click here to view BRICS Action Plan (2017-2018)

For further information and queries concerning BRICS program, please contact: Dr. Arvind Kumar