The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation is hosting the meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries from August 3-4, 2026, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, under India's chairship. The meeting includes representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. India's BRICS Chairship in 2026 operates under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)," with the statistics track specifically adopting "Quality Statistics as Driver of Change." This reflects India's commitment to data quality, innovation, effective dissemination, and people-centric statistical systems that respond to technological advancements and growing demand for high-frequency granular data.
The BRICS statistical cooperation has evolved since 2010 from basic data collection to deeper alignment on data standards, harmonization, and innovation. Member countries regularly publish the Joint Statistical Publication (JSP) and Snapshot BRICS JSP (introduced in 2020) to provide accessible, harmonized data for policymakers, researchers, and the public. A Technical Meeting was already held on April 16-17, 2026, to facilitate discussions on the chapters of the BRICS JSP and Snapshot BRICS JSP, focusing on developing a mutually agreed framework and establishing timelines for contributions from each National Statistical Office.
The BRICS Statistics Track aims to deliver outcomes under four priority areas: strengthening core BRICS statistical products (JSP & Snapshot), innovation and reform in national statistical systems, data dissemination and accessibility, and strengthening macroeconomic and sectoral statistics. The meeting objectives include further strengthening cooperation in statistics dissemination through BRICS JSP, innovation in statistical systems, and exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Two half-day side events are being organized alongside the main meeting with participation from National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries, policymakers, academia, think tanks, civil society organizations, and technical experts. The first side event on August 3, 2026, will focus on "Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data," while the second on August 4, 2026, will address "AI Readiness in the Evolving Data Ecosystem."