On scientific collaborations in BRICS, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The BRICS grouping includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, significantly contributing to global GDP and STI.
• STI cooperation was formally recognized in 2011 and consolidated in 2015 with a memorandum of understanding.
• The BRICS+ initiative in 2022 expanded the forum to include countries from the Global South.
• India's 2026 Presidency aims to deepen scientific partnerships under the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.

Detailed Insights:

• BRICS aims to challenge Western hegemony and establish a multipolar world system through collaborative efforts in science, technology, and innovation (STI).
• The 2017-2020 Action Plan focused on entrepreneurship, youth involvement, technology transfer, and business incubators, implemented by the STIEP Working Group.
• Recent BRICS initiatives prioritize innovation-driven ecosystems, such as iBRICS and the BRICS Technology Transfer Centre (TTC), to promote cross-border technology commercialization.
• The focus of BRICS joint research has shifted from basic science to socially relevant areas like energy, health, and environment, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The 2025 Declaration on AI elevated artificial intelligence as a central pillar, outlining a vision for equitable, inclusive, and development-oriented AI governance.
• Challenges include lower gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) compared to nations like South Korea, excluding China.
• A permanent mechanism, potentially modeled after the EU’s Horizon Program, is needed to manage STI cooperation effectively, along with long-term Mega-science Projects.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Techno-nationalism: A country leveraging technological advancements for national security and economic advantage.
• Global South: Refers to countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, often characterized by developing economies.
• New Development Bank: A multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states to fund infrastructure and sustainable development projects.