India to Host BRICS Labour Ministers’ Meeting

India will host the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Hyderabad on 15 and 16 July 2026 under its BRICS presidency. The meeting is linked to BRICS cooperation on labour markets, workforce skilling, social protection, and employment policies.

BRICS and Labour Cooperation

BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that conducts ministerial meetings on sector-specific issues, including labour and employment. The labour ministers’ meeting is one of the formal mechanisms used by BRICS members to coordinate policy positions on employment and social security. The 2026 meeting in Hyderabad is expected to bring together representatives from member countries and international organisations. The agenda includes labour market formalisation, employability, skills development, and women’s participation in the workforce.

India’s BRICS Chairship 2026

India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026 operates under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The Second Employment Working Group Meeting under this chairship was held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 6 and 7 May 2026. Employment Working Group meetings under the 2026 chairship have focused on social security systems, labour market formalisation, women’s labour force participation, and cooperation on skills and employability. These themes are part of the wider BRICS labour and employment agenda for 2026.

Institutions and Participants

Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session. The meeting is also expected to include representatives from the International Labour Organization, the International Social Security Association, the UN resident coordinator’s office, and employers’ and workers’ organisations. The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the BRICS labour and employment ministers’ declaration. Such declarations are common outcomes of ministerial meetings in multilateral groupings and are used to record agreed positions on policy areas.

Important Facts for Exams

• BRICS originally referred to Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and it holds sectoral ministerial meetings on labour, health, education, and finance.
• The International Labour Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations dealing with labour standards, employment, and social protection.
• The International Social Security Association works on social security administration and policy at the global level.
• Hyderabad is a major city in Telangana and has hosted several national and international conferences in India.