INSA convenes BRICS Science Academies in landmark meet on AI for Sustainable Development

📌 Summary:

• The Indian National Science Academy (INSA), as part of India BRICS Presidency 2026, convened the first meeting of the BRICS Science Academies Forum 2026 (held virtually)
• Theme: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development and Strengthening Global South Cooperation; ten nations took part — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Belarus, Nigeria and Vietnam
• Key outcomes: a draft declaration on AI for Science and Sustainable Development; consensus on shared computing infrastructure, collaborative data platforms and multilingual AI models; calls for joint task forces, researcher mobility schemes and open-source scientific infrastructure
• The draft declaration (presented by Prof. Ambuj Sagar, IIT Delhi) targets the unequal distribution of AI capacity and the widening digital divide, aiming to ensure AI benefits reach the Global South equitably across materials science, drug development, climate modelling and engineering
• India BRICS Presidency 2026 theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability; the full forum meeting is scheduled for 22-23 July 2026 at IIT Hyderabad

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — AI and emerging technologies, Global South cooperation; GS2 — India in BRICS and science diplomacy

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India holds the BRICS Presidency in 2026
• INSA = Indian National Science Academy
• Next BRICS Science Academies Forum meeting: 22-23 July 2026 at IIT Hyderabad

🔑 Key Term: Global South — broadly, the developing and emerging economies of Asia, Africa and Latin America, often contrasted with the industrialized Global North.