The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum under India’s Chairship Begins in New Delhi
1. At a Glance
- 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum convened in New Delhi on 11 June 2026 under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship, hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) [S1].
- A sectoral ministerial track of BRICS that deliberates on inclusive, resilient urban futures — touches GS-II (international groupings) and GS-III (urbanisation, infrastructure) [S1].
- Examinable for the expanded BRICS membership (post-2024 addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE; Indonesia joined later) and India's host record [S1].
2. Why in the News
- Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal formally opened the two-day Forum at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi on 11 June 2026 [S1].
- It is the flagship urban-sector event of India's BRICS Chairship 2026, preceded by the First BRICS Sherpas Meeting in New Delhi on 9–10 February 2026 [S2].
3. Background & Evolution
- BRIC coined 2001 (Goldman Sachs); first BRIC Summit 2009 Yekaterinburg; South Africa joined 2010 → BRICS [S3].
- 2024 expansion: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE admitted as full members; Indonesia subsequently joined — reflected in the 2026 Forum's participant list [S1].
- BRICS Urbanisation Forum is a recurring ministerial track; India previously hosted editions in New Delhi (2013), Visakhapatnam (2016) and virtually (2021) — 2026 is India's 4th hosting [S1].
- Forum announced earlier at the National Urban Conclave 2025, Yashobhoomi, New Delhi [S4].
4. Core Static Facts
- Edition: 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum [S1].
- Date/Venue: 11–12 June 2026; Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi [S1].
- Host Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India [S1].
- Chair Minister: Shri Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs [S1].
- Participating countries (10): Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates [S1].
- India's BRICS Chairship year: 2026 [S1][S2].
- India's previous urbanisation hostings: 2013 (New Delhi), 2016 (Visakhapatnam), 2021 (virtual) [S1].
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Geopolitical / Strategic
- Reinforces India's leadership in a post-expansion BRICS+ bloc spanning four continents [S1].
- Demonstrates use of sectoral ministerial tracks (urbanisation, health, finance Sherpas) to operationalise Chairship priorities [S1][S2].
- Administrative / Governance
- MoHUA placed as nodal ministry — links Forum to domestic missions (Smart Cities, AMRUT, PMAY-U) [S1].
- Economic
- BRICS now represents a large share of global urban population growth; Forum positions Indian urban-tech and finance models for export [S1][S4].
- Environmental
- Theme of "inclusive and resilient urban futures" aligns with climate-resilient cities, SDG-11 [S1].
6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)
- 9–10 Feb 2026: First BRICS Sherpas Meeting under India's Chairship, New Delhi [S2].
- 2025: National Urban Conclave at Yashobhoomi previewed India's hosting of the BRICS Urban Forum [S4].
- 11 Jun 2026: 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum opens, New Delhi [S1].
7. Prelims Hooks
- The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum was hosted by India in 2026 [S1].
- Nodal ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (not MEA) [S1].
- Venue: Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi [S1].
- Inaugurated by Union Minister Manohar Lal [S1].
- India's 4th time hosting the BRICS Urbanisation Forum [S1].
- Previous Indian editions: 2013 New Delhi, 2016 Visakhapatnam, 2021 virtual [S1].
- Participant count in 2026 edition: 10 countries including Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE [S1].
- Indonesia participated as a BRICS member at the 2026 Forum [S1].
- First BRICS Sherpas Meeting (2026 cycle) held in New Delhi, 9–10 February 2026 [S2].
- BRICS founding summit: 2009, Yekaterinburg (Russia); South Africa joined 2010 [S3].
8. Mains Relevance
- GS-II: Important International Institutions, Groupings & Agreements — "BRICS as a plurilateral forum: relevance after 2024–25 expansion."
- GS-III: Infrastructure / Urbanisation — "Discuss how sectoral cooperation under BRICS (e.g., Urbanisation Forum) complements India's domestic urban missions like AMRUT 2.0 and Smart Cities."
- Possible stems: 1. "BRICS+ enlargement has diluted the bloc's cohesion but expanded India's diplomatic bandwidth." Examine. 2. Evaluate the role of multilateral urbanisation platforms in delivering SDG-11 in the Global South. 3. Discuss India's contribution to BRICS sectoral cooperation during its 2026 Chairship.
9. Related Topics to Study Next
- BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) — financing arm for urban infrastructure.
- AMRUT 2.0 / Smart Cities Mission / PMAY-U 2.0 — domestic counterparts.
- G20 New Delhi Declaration 2023 — comparative chairship outcomes.
- SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities) — global benchmark for urban resilience.
- UN-Habitat & World Urban Forum — parallel UN urban track.
- India–UAE / India–Egypt bilateral ties — post-2024 BRICS partners.
- Indo-Pacific & Global South diplomacy — India's strategic positioning.
- National Urban Conclave 2025 — domestic policy pipeline feeding BRICS agenda.
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
- Confusing nodal ministry as MEA — actual host is MoHUA; MEA only handles Sherpas track [S1][S2].
- Counting India's hosting as 3rd — it is the 4th edition India hosts [S1].
- Treating Argentina/Saudi Arabia as BRICS members — Argentina declined; Saudi's status remains undecided; not in 2026 Forum list [S1].
- Misdating BRICS founding as 2006 (foreign ministers' meet) — formal summit is 2009 [S3].
- Forgetting Indonesia's BRICS accession — listed among 2026 Forum participants [S1].
11. Sources
- [S1] Press Information Bureau — "The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum under India's Chairship Begins in New Delhi" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2271765 — (tier: 1)
- [S2] Ministry of External Affairs — "First Meeting of the BRICS Sherpas under India's Chairship, New Delhi, February 09–10, 2026" — https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/40730/ — (tier: 1)
- [S3] Ministry of External Affairs — "Brief on BRICS" — https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/BRICS-2025.pdf — (tier: 1)
- [S4] Press Information Bureau — "National Urban Conclave concludes today…" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2188050 — (tier: 1)