India Hosts 8th BRICS Youth Energy Summit

India hosted the virtual Eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit on 17 August 2026 under its BRICS Chairship. The summit focused on youth participation in energy cooperation and brought together more than 100 participants from academia, government institutions, and energy ministries of BRICS member countries.

BRICS and Youth Energy Cooperation

BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies, and its youth platforms include discussions on energy, innovation, and policy coordination. The BRICS Youth Energy Summit is part of this framework and involves young professionals in the energy sector.

Theme and Priority Areas

India guided the summit under the chairship theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The dedicated Energy Track theme was “सर्वेषां ऊर्जम्” or “Energy for All”. More than 20 youth panellists presented country perspectives across three priority areas: Energy Security and Sustainability, Energy Access and Equity, and Technology and Innovation.

Institutions and Energy Initiatives

Representatives from the BRICS Youth Energy Agency, Sustainable Energy for All, the International Solar Alliance, and the International Renewable Energy Agency participated in the event. Discussions covered diversification of the energy mix, resilient energy supply chains, innovative financing, and digitalisation of energy systems. India also referred to domestic clean energy initiatives such as PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar, and to the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence on Smart Grids and Energy Storage.

Important Facts for Exams

• BRICS is a multilateral grouping of emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• The International Solar Alliance was launched in 2015 and is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana.
• IRENA stands for the International Renewable Energy Agency, which works on renewable energy policy and deployment.
• PM-KUSUM is a Government of India scheme linked to solar energy use in agriculture.

Follow-up BRICS Youth Events in India

The virtual summit was followed by the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and Youth Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on 19–20 August 2026. The BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting was scheduled in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on 22 August 2026.