8th BRICS Oceanic-Polar Science and Tech Meet Begins in Goa

The 8th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology (OPST) began in Goa on 12 August 2026 and is scheduled to continue until 14 August 2026. The meeting is hosted by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences as part of India’s 2026 BRICS Presidency.

BRICS OPST Working Group

The BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology was established in 2018. BRICS is a grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and the OPST mechanism deals with marine and polar scientific cooperation among member states.

Host Institution and Leadership

The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research is India’s nodal institution for polar and ocean research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Dr. Thamban Meloth, Director of NCPOR, chaired the 2026 meeting as the Working Group Chair and welcomed the delegates.

Agenda and Research Areas

The Goa meeting is focused on short-term and medium-term goals for moving from bilateral arrangements to integrated multilateral research programmes. The sessions cover joint research, capacity building, scientific exchanges, and shared use of polar research infrastructure.

Important Facts for Exams

• BRICS originally stood for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• The BRICS OPST Working Group was created in 2018.
• India hosted the third BRICS OPST meeting in 2020.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Participants and Related Facts

Official references to the Goa meeting mention representatives from Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and India. The event also included a keynote lecture on India’s Blue Economy initiatives by Dr. M. Rajeevan, Vice Chancellor of Atria University and former Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.