India hosted the eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit 2026 virtually on August 17 as part of its BRICS chairship, bringing together more than 100 participants, including young energy professionals from academia, government institutions and energy ministries of BRICS member countries.
Representatives of the BRICS Youth Energy Agency (BRICS YEA) and international organisations, including Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), also participated in the summit.
India’s BRICS chairship this year is guided by the overarching theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)”. Under the Energy Track, India has adopted the theme “सर्वेषां ऊर्जम्” (Energy for All), reflecting its focus on universal, affordable and inclusive energy access across BRICS countries.
The summit placed youth at the centre of BRICS energy cooperation, highlighting their role in driving innovation, entrepreneurship, technological advancement and international collaboration. Participants also stressed the need to strengthen engagement among young professionals, academia, government institutions and industry.
The discussions called for translating youth participation into practical outcomes through joint research, technology demonstrations, knowledge sharing and capacity-building initiatives.
More than 20 youth panellists shared perspectives and experiences under three priority areas — Energy Security and Sustainability, Energy Access and Equity, and Technology and Innovation. Discussions covered diversification of the energy mix, resilient energy supply chains, energy access, innovative financing, emerging technologies and digitalisation of energy systems.
Participants broadly agreed on the need for resilient and diversified energy systems, affordable and inclusive energy access, and innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate clean energy deployment.
Technological innovation and digitalisation, supported by reliable energy data, interoperability, cybersecurity and skilled human resources, were identified as key enablers of efficient, flexible and resilient energy systems.
Indian youth representatives highlighted major national initiatives in energy security, energy access, clean energy deployment and power-sector reforms, including PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar, the SHANTI Act, the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and the India Energy Stack (IES).
They also shared India’s experience in diversifying its energy mix, strengthening distribution infrastructure, promoting decentralised renewable energy and advancing digitalisation.
The BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence (DCoE) on Smart Grids and Energy Storage was highlighted as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building and cooperation in areas such as smart grids, energy storage and grid resilience.
“The eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit reaffirmed the role of young people in strengthening energy cooperation among BRICS countries and developing solutions for a secure, sustainable, inclusive and future-ready energy sector, in line with the vision of ‘Energy for All’,” The Ministry of Power said in a statement.
