India hosts BRICS standards meet in Bengaluru; member nations reach consensus on cooperation pact
Bengaluru: India on Thursday inaugurated the two-day BRICS National Standards Bodies (NSBs) meeting in Bengaluru, with member countries reaching a consensus on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in standardisation and quality infrastructure.
Hosted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under India’s BRICS Chairship, the meeting brings together heads of national standards organisations from BRICS countries to enhance collaboration, reduce technical barriers to trade and promote harmonised standards across emerging economies.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said India remains committed to developing global standards through an inclusive, transparent and consensus-based approach that reflects the diverse developmental priorities of participating countries.
Highlighting the theme of India’s BRICS Chairship — “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” — Joshi said standardisation plays a vital role in promoting global trade, technological advancement and sustainable development.
A key outcome of the opening day was the consensus reached on the draft MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Standardization among BRICS national standards bodies. Representatives described the agreement as an important step towards strengthening quality infrastructure, improving consumer protection, reducing technical barriers to trade and enhancing cooperation with international standard-setting organisations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
According to BIS, a majority of the BRICS member countries signed the MoU during the meeting, while the remaining members reaffirmed their commitment to complete the signing process after obtaining necessary domestic approvals.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said closer cooperation among BRICS nations would help develop standards that facilitate trade, support technological innovation and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable global economy.
The second day of the meeting will feature a thematic workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) standardisation, with experts from India, Brazil, Russia, China and the UAE discussing emerging AI standards and future areas of technological cooperation.
BRICS currently represents nearly 49.5% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade, making harmonisation of standards within the bloc a significant step towards strengthening economic cooperation among emerging economies.
