Under India's BRICS Chairship, Transport Ministers Adopt Ministerial Declaration at the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra

📌 Summary:

• 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting concluded in Nagpur, Maharashtra on 11 July 2026 under India's BRICS Chairship 2026

• Preceded by the 3rd BRICS Transport Working Group (TWG) Senior Officials' Meeting (9–10 July 2026), which finalised the agenda outcomes and draft Declaration

• Ministerial Declaration adopted unanimously — shared framework for collaboration on: circularity in infrastructure, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), transport decarbonisation, Urban Mobility Hub, logistics & supply-chain cooperation, and a BRICS Railway Research Network

• Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari led the meeting; India reaffirmed commitment to a smooth transition of these initiatives to the successive BRICS Chairship

• Four-day programme included Senior Officials' Meeting, Ministers' Meeting, bilateral engagements and cultural presentations — deepening institutional and people-to-people ties

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (International Relations — BRICS and plurilateral groupings; India's agenda-setting during its 2026 BRICS Chairship) and GS3 (transport infrastructure, decarbonisation, logistics)

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India holds the BRICS Chairship in 2026; the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting was held in Nagpur, Maharashtra (11 July 2026)

• Declaration covers Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), transport decarbonisation and a proposed BRICS Railway Research Network

• Adoption was by consensus — reflecting the BRICS spirit of mutual respect, equality and consensus

🔑 Key Term: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) — aviation fuel produced from non-fossil feedstocks (used cooking oil, biomass, municipal waste) that significantly reduces lifecycle CO2 emissions compared with conventional jet fuel