Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Holds Bilateral Meetings with BRICS Counterparts; Calls for Stronger Cooperation on Labour, Skills and Digital Public Infrastructure

Key Highlights:

• The 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting was held in Hyderabad under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.
• Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and MoS Sushri Shobha Karandlaje held bilateral meetings with counterparts from BRICS and partner nations.
• India showcased e-Shram and National Career Service (NCS) as pioneering Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for social protection and employment.
• Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in labour mobility, skill development, social security, and digital solutions.
• India's social security coverage crossed one billion people in 2026, recognized by an International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award in 2025.
• The BRICS CONNECT platform was launched to advance practical cooperation and exchange best practices among member states.

Detailed Insights:

• The meeting brought together ministers, employer/worker organizations, and knowledge partners to discuss the future of work.
• India highlighted its DPIs as drivers for social protection, employment services, and international labour mobility.
• Bilateral talks explored enhancing policy dialogue, skill development, and sharing digital solutions for labour market governance.
• UAE, Russia, and Brazil were invited to participate in the India-ILO feasibility study for International Reference Classification of Occupations.
• The possibility of signing a Social Security Agreement (SSA) between India and Russia was also explored.
• India offered to share its experience in developing Digital Public Goods with Indonesia and Iran.
• The successful adoption of the Declaration and launch of BRICS CONNECT signifies a major step in strengthening cooperation.

Key Concepts Involved:

• BRICS: An association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Digital solutions and systems that enable the delivery of public and private services at scale.
• BRICS CONNECT: A platform designed to foster collaboration among BRICS nations in skilling, workforce planning, and digital innovation.
• Social Security Agreement (SSA): A bilateral agreement between countries to protect the social security rights of workers who move between them.
• International Reference Classification of Occupations: A global framework developed by the ILO for classifying occupations based on skill and specialization.