BRICS Adopts Chennai Declaration on Science and Technology Cooperation
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced the unanimous adoption of the 'Chennai Declaration' during the closing session of the 14th BRICS Science Ministerial Meet chaired by India. The declaration reaffirms BRICS commitment to building an effective, resilient, and future-ready framework in science, technology, and innovation under India's chairship theme of "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
The Chennai Consensus places a people-centred and humanity-first approach at the heart of BRICS STI cooperation, with emphasis on sustainable development, resilient and high-quality growth, social inclusiveness, and using innovation and technology to improve welfare and quality of life across BRICS nations. The declaration reflects the growing maturity of BRICS STI cooperation, with sustained collaborative activity across 14 thematic Working Groups, 11 editions of the BRICS Young Scientist Forum, nine editions of the Young Innovators Prize, and nine BRICS STI Framework Programme calls including research, innovation and flagship project calls.
Key Cooperation Areas and Infrastructure Initiatives
A major area of cooperation emerging from the meeting is shared research infrastructure and mega-science projects. The Chennai Consensus welcomes outcomes of the BRICS Working Group on Research Infrastructures and Mega-science Projects, including the Action Plan and Terms of Reference for the Task Force. It records progress toward operationalizing the BRICS Global Research Advanced Infrastructure Network (BRICS GRAIN), which envisages greater access to research facilities, common approaches to their use, researcher mobility, and stronger collaboration around large-scale research infrastructure.
The declaration also welcomes the BRICS Science and Research Repository as a structured platform for knowledge storage and sharing among BRICS countries. The draft framework envisages a digital public good that can map scientific institutions, researchers, research outputs, datasets, infrastructure and collaboration opportunities while promoting knowledge exchange and open science, subject to national regulations and data governance requirements.
Youth and Innovation Focus
The people and talent dimension received strong emphasis, with the Consensus encouraging greater exchanges among young scientists and welcoming continued work under the BRICS Young Scientist Forum and BRICS Young Innovator Prize. It recognizes progress under the BRICS STI Entrepreneurship Partnership toward stronger engagement among incubators, accelerators and early-stage investors, greater mobility of young innovators and researchers, and enhanced access to relevant markets.
The Declaration welcomes the BRICS Youth Startup Platform while recognizing the need to catalyze financing for early- and growth-stage startups and recording consideration of a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund in the BRICS Industry Ministers' Declaration.
Comprehensive Technological Coverage
The Chennai Consensus covers a wide range of strategic areas including High-Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology and human health, materials science and nanotechnology, photonics, astronomy, geospatial technologies, renewable energy, ocean and polar science, natural-disaster management, and social sciences and humanities. It also welcomes continued cooperation in quantum technologies and encourages practical engagement and joint research projects among scientists, academic institutions and innovation communities.
The Ministerial Meeting endorsed the BRICS STI Calendar of Activities for 2026–2027, providing continuity to Working Groups, Steering Committee, Senior Officials' process, and thematic activities. The Consensus records the transition to the next Chairship, with the next Ministerial Meeting scheduled under China's Chairship in 2027.