India, under its BRICS Chairship 2026, successfully hosted the 3rd BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in New Delhi on Friday, with member countries adopting a joint statement aimed at strengthening global disaster resilience through enhanced cooperation, innovation and sustainable development.
The meeting, organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was chaired by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and attended by ministers and heads of delegation from BRICS member countries.
The ministerial meeting concluded with the unanimous adoption of the BRICS Joint Statement on Disaster Risk Reduction, reaffirming the commitment of member countries to accelerate the implementation of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Work Plan (2025–2028) and deepen cooperation to build resilient societies.
Addressing the meeting, Nityanand Rai said the evolution of BRICS cooperation—from the Udaipur Declaration (2016) to the Kazan Declaration (2024) and the establishment of the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Group (DRRG)—reflects the growing recognition of disaster risk reduction as a key pillar of sustainable development, climate resilience and human security.
He said India’s BRICS Chairship has adopted a practical and action-oriented approach under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” He also appreciated Brazil for elevating the Disaster Risk Reduction Group to the ministerial level.
Highlighting India’s efforts in disaster management, the Minister said the country’s people-centric approach is guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ten-Point Agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction. He outlined India’s five strategic priorities under its Chairship and called on BRICS nations to strengthen collaboration in science and technology, early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions and community resilience.
The meeting featured a High-Level Policy Dialogue on advancing climate-smart and disaster-resilient infrastructure, where ministers discussed resilient infrastructure, innovative financing, emerging technologies and international partnerships to address growing disaster and climate risks.
A Ministerial Roundtable on implementing the BRICS Disaster Risk Reduction Work Plan (2025–2028) enabled member countries to exchange experiences and identify practical measures for strengthening institutional cooperation, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
As part of India’s BRICS Chairship, six flagship knowledge products were launched to support evidence-based policymaking, institutional strengthening and capacity building in disaster risk reduction across BRICS countries.
The participating ministers also emphasised the need for greater practical cooperation through regular technical exchanges, joint projects, simulation exercises, expert exchanges and annual thematic workstreams to promote innovation and measurable outcomes in disaster resilience.
The successful conclusion of the meeting reinforces BRICS’ commitment to advancing resilient, inclusive and sustainable development through stronger international cooperation in disaster risk reduction.
