The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum concluded on Friday, 13 June 2026, at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan in New Delhi with the adoption of a ministerial declaration committing member nations to inclusive, resilient and people-centred urban development. The two-day forum, hosted under India's BRICS Chairship in 2026, brought together ministers, senior officials and urban practitioners from across BRICS member nations.

What the Declaration Commits To

The ministerial declaration identifies shared priorities across BRICS nations, centring on the creation of cities that offer equitable access to urban services — particularly for marginalised and underserved communities. According to an official statement, the declaration frames inclusive, sustainable, resilient and liveable urban development as collective goals rather than individual national targets.

Member nations also welcomed India's proposal for the establishment of the 'BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network', a platform designed to facilitate applied urban research, knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning among member states — a mechanism intended to sustain cooperation beyond the forum itself.

India's Role and Key Announcements

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal formally inaugurated the forum and chaired the high-level plenary session. In his inaugural address, he positioned inclusive urban development, climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure, institutional strengthening, and digital innovation as the four anchors of India's urban development approach.

The minister also released 'India's Urban Transformation: Stories of Change', a publication documenting select urban practices from India's states and Union Territories across the forum's four priority areas. A companion volume, 'Cities for People: Urban Stories from BRICS Nations', compiled good practices from across the bloc.

Panel Discussions and Key Themes

The second day featured two high-level panel discussions. The first, 'Building Inclusive Pathways for Resilient and Equitable Cities', moderated by Roopa Mishra, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, examined approaches to improving access to housing, mobility, basic services, livelihoods and public spaces for vulnerable communities.

The second panel, 'Strengthening Institutions and Scaling Innovations for People-centred Cities', was moderated by Shalabh Goel, Managing Director of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation. It focused on building municipal capacity, improving inter-governmental coordination, and deploying technology and data to enhance urban service delivery.

Bilateral Meetings and Field Visits

On the sidelines, bilateral meetings were held between India and Russia, India and Iran, Iran and Russia, Iran and China, and Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Delegations also undertook a field visit to select urban interventions in and around New Delhi, including the New Parliament Complex and the India Gate–Kartavya Path precinct.

What Comes Next

The outcomes of the forum are expected to feed into a shared BRICS roadmap for inclusive and well-governed urban futures. The proposed BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network, if formalised, would mark a structural step toward institutionalising urban cooperation within the bloc — moving the conversation from declarations to sustained, applied collaboration.