India hosted the Eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit 2026 virtually on August 17, 2026, under its BRICS Chairship, which is guided by the overarching theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)." The Energy Track specifically adopted the theme "सर्वेषां ऊर्जम्" (Energy for All), reflecting India's commitment to advancing universal, affordable, and inclusive energy access across BRICS nations.
The summit brought together more than 100 participants, including young energy professionals from academia, government institutions, and energy ministries of BRICS Member Countries. Representatives from the BRICS Youth Energy Agency (BRICS YEA) and international organizations including Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) also participated.
Discussions focused on three priority areas: Energy Security and Sustainability, Energy Access and Equity, and Technology and Innovation. More than 20 youth panelists shared country perspectives on topics including diversification of the energy mix, resilient energy supply chains, energy access and innovative financing, new and emerging technologies, and digitalization of energy systems.
Youth representatives from India highlighted key national initiatives and achievements, including the PM-KUSUM scheme, PM Surya Ghar program, SHANTI Act, Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), and the India Energy Stack (IES). They shared India's experience in diversifying the energy mix, strengthening distribution infrastructure, and advancing decentralized renewable energy and digitalization. The BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence (DCoE) on Smart Grids and Energy Storage was highlighted as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration on smart grids, storage, and grid resilience.
The summit emphasized the importance of translating youth engagement into practical outcomes through joint research, technology demonstrations, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives. Discussions reflected broad convergence on the need for resilient and diversified energy systems, affordable and inclusive energy access, and innovative financing to advance clean energy deployment. Technological innovation and digitalization, supported by reliable energy data, interoperability, cyber security, and skilled human resources, were identified as important enablers of efficient, flexible, and resilient energy systems.