Digital technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity emerged as major priorities during the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi on May 14-15 under India’s 2026 chairmanship. The discussions were included in the Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document adopted after the meeting.
The ministers highlighted that artificial intelligence can create major opportunities for economic growth and sustainable development. At the same time, they stressed the importance of international cooperation to make AI resources more accessible and ensure AI systems remain safe, secure, reliable and inclusive.
The document also recognised the growing role of AI in science, innovation, social development and economic progress. BRICS members said cooperation in these sectors is important for creating a more balanced and inclusive technology ecosystem, especially for countries in the Global South.
The ministers congratulated India for hosting the AI Impact Summit in February 2026 and also acknowledged the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in Shanghai. They reaffirmed their support for implementing the BRICS Leaders’ Statement on the Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence.
Digital infrastructure and connectivity also remained key focus areas during the meeting. The ministers supported stronger digital public infrastructure, expanded ICT collaboration and efforts to maintain a secure, stable, open and peaceful digital environment while respecting national sovereignty and security concerns.
The statement additionally called for deeper cooperation against cybercrime and the misuse of digital technologies. This includes threats linked to malicious software, data security breaches, misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and AI-generated deepfakes.
BRICS countries also encouraged governments to consider signing and ratifying the UN Convention against Cybercrime according to their domestic legal processes.
The ministers further highlighted the importance of innovation ecosystems, start-up culture, youth entrepreneurship and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The document stated that BRICS cooperation should help start-ups and SMEs improve access to finance, markets, technology and skills.
The statement welcomed the launch of the BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub under the BRICS Startup Forum and also supported stronger collaboration around Industry 4.0 technologies.
Another major development was progress on discussions related to a high-speed communication network using submarine cables between BRICS nations. The document confirmed the formation of the BRICS Submarine Cable Task Force to continue work on digital connectivity and infrastructure development.
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