Visakhapatnam hosts BRICS Youth and Sports Ministers’ meetings on August 22, 23; Mansukh Mandaviya to chair

Visakhapatnam will host the BRICS Youth Ministers’ Meeting and the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting on August 22 and 23, as India continues its BRICS Chairship for 2026. The two ministerial engagements will bring together Ministers and Heads of Delegation from all 11 BRICS member countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

The meetings will be chaired by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse will also take part in the proceedings. Senior officials of the Ministry, including Secretary (Youth Affairs) Sunil Paliwal and Secretary (Sports) Hari Ranjan Rao, will be associated with the engagements.

Youth Ministers’ Meeting

The Youth Ministers’ Meeting will centre on strengthening cooperation in youth development and empowerment, with discussions expected to cover education, skills, entrepreneurship, wellbeing and sustainable development. The meeting will take into account recommendations from the BRICS Youth Council Meeting and the BRICS Youth Summit, and identify areas of cooperation for successive BRICS chairships.

The ministerial session in the afternoon, will feature country statements from all 11 member nations, beginning with Mr. Mandaviya’s address on behalf of India, followed by South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the BRICS Youth Ministerial Joint Declaration and the BRICS Youth Cooperation Framework, followed by closing remarks from Ms. Khadse.

Chief Minister to hold bilateral talks

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will hold bilateral discussions with the visiting delegations at the Novotel Visakhapatnam on the evening of August 22, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., meeting Mr. Mandaviya as well as Ministers and delegates from the other participating countries.

Cycling event and Sports Ministers’ Meeting

August 23 will open with the BRICS Friendship Cycling Event, flagged off from the Novotel at 7 a.m. for a round trip of approximately five kilometres along Ramakrishna Beach Road towards the Submarine Museum and Sea Harrier area, concluding with refreshments and a traditional welcome by local fisherfolk with drums.

The BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting will bring together Sports Ministers and Heads of Delegation from the member countries at the Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, the designated venue and accommodation site for the Sports Ministers’ track, to reaffirm cooperation in the field. The Sports Track under India’s Chairship has focused on the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026, the formation of a BRICS Sports Working Group on Sports Technology, and a BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave, besides finalising the Joint Declaration. Each delegation may comprise up to four representatives, including one Minister or Head of Delegation, with English as the working language. The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Joint Declaration, following statements from all 11 member countries.

India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 is being conducted under the theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.

EOM