The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum was held in New Delhi on June 2026 under India’s BRICS Chairship. Inaugurated by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, the event focused on the theme “Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures” under the vision of “Humanity First.”
Key Forum Highlights
- Participants: High-level delegations from 10 member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (core), plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia (expanded bloc).
- India’s Hosting: This marks the fourth time India has hosted this forum (previous editions: 2013, 2016, 2021).
- Core Pillars:
- Climate Resilience: Upgrading infrastructure to handle climate shocks (flooding/heat stress).
- Digital Governance: Utilizing GIS, IoT, and Integrated Command and Control Centers.
- Urban Finance: Strengthening Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and deploying municipal bonds.
- Inclusivity: Ensuring equitable access to water, sanitation, and affordable housing.
- Key Release: Minister Manohar Lal released “India’s Urban Transformation: Stories of Change,” a repository of scalable urban practices.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Demographics: ~40% of India’s population is urban; projected to reach ~50% by 2047.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), which oversees AMRUT 2.0, Smart Cities Mission, PMAY-U, and SBM-U.
- NDB Linkage: Forum recommendations guide priority sector lending by the New Development Bank (NDB) for municipal projects.
- Climate Mitigation: Recommended Miyawaki methodology (micro-forestry) and cool roofs to combat the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.