The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs hosted the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum in New Delhi on June 11, 2026, under India's BRICS Chairship. Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal inaugurated the two-day forum at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, which brought together ministers, senior officials, and urban practitioners from 10 countries: Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
This marks India's fourth time hosting the forum, following previous editions in New Delhi (2013), Visakhapatnam (2016), and virtually (2021). The forum focused on the theme 'Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures.' Minister Manohar Lal emphasized that India's BRICS Chairship provides an opportunity to bring urban agenda into global development conversation, highlighting India's development anchors of inclusive urban development, climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure, institutional strengthening, and digital innovation.
Secretary Shri Srinivas Katikithala welcomed delegations, noting that the forum has enabled member countries to exchange good practices, deepen mutual understanding of each other's systems, and build trust for sustained cooperation. During the inaugural session, Minister Manohar Lal released 'India's Urban Transformation: Stories of Change,' a publication presenting urban practices and experiences from India's states and Union Territories across the forum's four priority areas.
The inaugural session was followed by a high-level plenary chaired by Minister Manohar Lal, where member nations deliberated on shared urban challenges, prospects, and aspirations through country statements. On the sidelines, a bilateral meeting was held between India and the Russian Federation, co-chaired by Minister of State Shri Tokhan Sahu and Russian Deputy Minister of Construction Yury Mutsenek. Both sides reviewed progress on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Urban Development and committed to expediting its finalization. Discussions covered urban planning, affordable housing, municipal infrastructure, sustainable construction technologies, capacity building, and exchange of best practices in urban governance.
Additional bilateral discussions occurred between Iran and Russia, Iran and China, and Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Delegations undertook a field visit to urban interventions in New Delhi, including the New Parliament Complex and India Gate-Kartavya Path precinct, showcasing India's urban transformation. The day concluded with a cultural program and networking dinner.