Scientific Collaborations in BRICS: Advancing Global South Research and Innovation

BRICS is an emerging global bloc promoting a multipolar world order, with science, technology and innovation (STI) emerging as a key pillar alongside economic cooperation.

• Over time, BRICS has moved from early joint research calls focused on fundamental science toward prioritising innovation and technology transfer.

About BRICS

• Genesis: The term BRIC was coined by British economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 to represent the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
• Aim: To reform global governance and offer alternatives to the Western-dominated institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and UNSC
• BRICS remains an informal coordination mechanism, with the presidency rotating among its members annually. 
• Pillars of Cooperation: According to the BRICS Terms of Reference, the BRICS partnership is based on three pillars of cooperation:
  • Political and Security Cooperation
  • Economic and Financial Cooperation
  • People-to-People (P2P) or Civil Society
• Members: 
  • Initial Members (BRICS): Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.
  • New Members (BRICS+): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
  • BRICS Partner Countries: At the Kazan Summit in 2024, BRICS introduced a new category called BRICS Partner Countries.
    • Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Thailand, Cuba, Vietnam, Uganda, and Uzbekistan
  • Interest in BRICS Membership and Partnership: Throughout 2024, over 30 countries expressed interest in joining BRICS, either as members or partners.

BRICS Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation: Overview

• 2011:  It was formally recognised in 2011 and later consolidated in meetings between senior officials and the BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology, and Innovation. 
• 2015: A 2015 memorandum of understanding established STI as a core strategic pillar, providing the necessary institutional framework and operational signals for collaborative research and capacity-building. 
  • This framework has since expanded the scope of cooperation, allowing members to leverage their complementary strengths to address shared development challenges and advance frontier sciences.
• 2017-2020: The first BRICS Action Plan for Innovation Cooperation (2017-2020) tasked the Science, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Partnership (STIEP) Working Group with implementing various programmes.
• 2021-24: The 2021-24 Action Plan focused on networking and thematic frameworks, subsequent plans aim to scale projects for greater impact, focusing on biotechnology, climate tech, industrial innovation, and AI.
• 2025 Declaration on AI: The 2025 Declaration on AI elevated artificial intelligence from a sub-theme, to a central pillar of multilateral governance. 
  • This declaration outlines a vision for AI governance that is equitable, inclusive, and development-oriented, moving the partnership towards a strategic collaboration with direct economic and societal relevance.
• 2026: Under India’s 2026 Presidency, with the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’, the group is positioned to deepen its scientific partnerships. 
  • Goal: To leverage expanded membership to strengthen capacities and address challenges like digital divides, public health crises, and climate resilience. 

Institutional Framework of BRICS

• BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology, and Innovation meet: It is summoned once a year to approve and sign strategic documents. Within each member country, one or two lead agencies coordinate these activities, issue calls for proposals, and prepare project lists for approval during the respective country’s presidency. 
  • For example, during India’s chairmanship, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) serve as the lead agencies.
• iBRICS: A network promoting innovation, research collaboration, and knowledge exchange among BRICS nations
• BRICS Technology Transfer Centre (TTC): Facilitates cross-border technology commercialization, policy frameworks, and institutional linkages
• BRICS Institute of Future Networks: It focuses on research and development in advanced ICT and high-performance computing (HPC)
  • Promotes collaboration in next-generation communication networks among BRICS nations
• China-BRICS Research Centre on New Quality Productive Forces: It was recently inaugurated in Beijing. 
  • This center serves as an international platform for academic exchange and technological research.

Challenges

• Weaker National Innovation Systems: BRICS countries have weaker National Innovation Systems compared to nations like South Korea, with low R&D expenditure (GERD) except for China.
• Differing Interests of Members: The heterogeneity of new members in terms of both economic development and scientific capacity makes it difficult to reconcile differing interests. 
  • Consequently, BRICS+ may need to focus on catalysing new “paired links” between specific members.
• Lack of a Permanent Mechanism: The Lack of a permanent mechanism to manage STI cooperation. 
  • The current system, where the lead role rotates annually with the presidency, is not ideally suited for long-term requirements.
• Lack of Framework: Research into STI cooperation among BRICS nations is limited, and the existing mechanism lacks a framework for regular study to provide data-driven inputs to member countries.

Significance of STI in BRICS

• STI Leadership: Amid rising geopolitical tensions, techno-nationalism, and export controls, BRICS plays a critical role in shaping inclusive global science, technology, and innovation (STI) cooperation.
• Reducing Technological Dependence: BRICS+ launch marked a shift towards a more inclusive Global South platform aimed at enhancing development cooperation, political coordination, and reducing technological dependence.
• Boosting Self Reliance: Promotes technological self-reliance by reducing dependence on Western technologies e.g.(, cooperation in AI and semiconductor research)

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Way Forward

• Learning from EU: BRICS can learn from the European Union’s diverse STI programmes, as it currently faces limited options and modest funding despite high competition.
  • BRICS could potentially model a central mechanism after the EU’s Horizon Program, establishing a Secretariat to manage funds, issue calls for proposals, monitor progress, and review outcomes.
• Launch Mega-Science Projects: Developing a few long-term Mega-science Projects could also foster deeper cooperation. 
  • The framework for STI cooperation should eventually expand beyond just funding science and technology projects; it should promote research into the governance of STI and the impact of emerging technologies on BRICS+ nations.
• Strengthen Technology Transfer & Commercialisation(TTC): Expand role of TTC to bridge gap between research and market applications.
• Promote Inclusive BRICS+ Collaboration: Build capacity of new members through knowledge sharing, funding support, and joint research.

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