The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will host a five-day BRICS Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Track in Pune from 17 to 21 August 2026, bringing together communications ministers, senior officials, and ICT experts from across BRICS member nations to advance digital cooperation. The event forms part of India's responsibilities as BRICS Chair for 2026, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Communications.

What the Programme Covers

The five-day agenda is structured around three key events designed to deepen collaboration across critical digital domains. Delegates will deliberate on building ICT ecosystems for universal, affordable, and resilient connectivity; establishing trusted and human-centric digital environments; and expanding digital skills and capacity development across member states.

Discussions will also focus on strengthening innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship in ICT — including artificial intelligence and next-generation communications technologies.

Digital BRICS Forum and Expo

A flagship event within the track, the Digital BRICS Forum and Expo, is scheduled for 20 August 2026. It will serve as a platform for showcasing cooperation in emerging digital technologies and resilient ICT ecosystems, with ministers from member countries expected to advance consensus on shared priorities.

According to the ministry statement, ministers are expected to deliberate on 'the priorities of the BRICS ICT Track and advance cooperation in sustainable and resilient ICT ecosystems, cybersecurity and trustworthy ICT, digital skilling and capacity building and innovation, startups and entrepreneurship.'

India's BRICS Chairship and the Broader Context

The Pune event is one of a series of thematic meetings being held across India under the BRICS 2026 platform. BRICS now comprises eleven major emerging markets and developing economies, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates — a grouping that collectively represents a significant share of global internet users and digital infrastructure investment.

This comes amid growing international focus on digital sovereignty, cross-border data governance, and the race to set global standards in AI and next-generation communications. India's chairship provides an opportunity to shape BRICS-level norms on cybersecurity and digital inclusion before they crystallise into binding frameworks.

What Comes Next

Outcomes from the ICT Track are expected to feed into broader BRICS ministerial deliberations later in 2026. The focus on cybersecurity and AI governance signals that digital infrastructure — not just trade or finance — is increasingly central to the BRICS agenda under India's stewardship.