Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries

Key Highlights:

• India chaired the two-day meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSO) of BRICS Member Countries on August 3, 2026, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• India's theme for the BRICS Statistics track is "Quality Statistics as Driver of Change," aligning with the overarching BRICS theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
• The meeting saw participation from BRICS members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• A draft BRICS Joint Statistical Publication (JSP), 2026 and Snapshot BRICS JSP 2026 were released during the event.

Detailed Insights:

• The meeting focused on modernizing national statistical systems, utilizing administrative data and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and enhancing data governance and privacy standards.
• Delegates emphasized strengthening cooperation through knowledge sharing, exchange of best practices, and harmonisation of statistical methodologies.
• Technical sessions covered "National Practices and Strategic Approaches for Data Dissemination" and "Transformational Reforms in Statistical System."
• A side-event on "Unlocking the potential of Administrative Data" was held in collaboration with CivicDataLab, highlighting its role for timely and granular statistics.
• The discussions underscored the need for stronger collaboration among governments, NSOs, academia, and technology partners to build trusted data ecosystems.

Key Concepts Involved:

• BRICS: An intergovernmental organization comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and recently expanded members.
• National Statistical Office (NSO): The principal agency responsible for collecting, compiling, analyzing, and disseminating official statistics in a country.
• Administrative Data: Data collected by government agencies for administrative purposes that can be repurposed for statistical analysis.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Shared digital systems like digital identity and payment platforms that enable public and private services.