India is hosting the 2026 BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting (LEMM) in Hyderabad on July 15-16, 2026, as part of India's BRICS chairship. The meeting brings together ministers and senior officials from BRICS member states under India's chairship theme: 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)'. Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, will chair the meeting.
The LEMM follows the Third BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting held in Hyderabad on July 13-14, 2026, where member countries shared best practices and national experiences across four priority areas: advancing social security and formalization of labour markets; enhancing women's participation and inclusion in the workforce; cooperation on employability, skills mapping and development; and leveraging digital technologies for all workers, including gig and platform workers.
Ministers will deliberate upon these four priority areas and share best practices and innovative approaches from their national experiences, ranging from social protection reforms and formalization strategies to skilling initiatives and inclusive models for platform-based work. The Working Group concluded discussions on a draft declaration, which will be placed before the Ministers for consideration and adoption at the LEMM.
The meeting provides a platform for sustained dialogue among BRICS Member States on shared labour market and employment challenges in a fast-changing world of work. Discussions will center on strengthening cooperation in advancing social protection, workforce skilling, and labour market policy, with the aim of promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth across BRICS countries. The deliberations will focus on practical, replicable policy tools and identify pathways for labour markets across BRICS countries to remain inclusive, adaptable and responsive to changing economic and technological realities.
The Hyderabad meeting is expected to strengthen cooperation among BRICS nations and contribute to practical, forward-looking outcomes on labour, employment and worker welfare. Through continued dialogue and knowledge-sharing, BRICS countries aim to advance policies that support decent work, broaden social protection, foster skills development and prepare their workforces for future opportunities and challenges.