India will host the second BRICS Culture Working Group meeting in Varanasi on June 4-5, the Ministry of Culture (MoC) announced on Monday, with five thematic panel discussions planned across the grouping’s three priority areas for 2026.
MoC secretary Vivek Aggarwal addressed the media confirming the full culture track calendar under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship, themed “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The Varanasi meeting — chosen for its significance as one of the world’s oldest living cities reflecting civilisational depth and living heritage — will hold five thematic panel discussions: Creative Economy and People-to-People Cooperation; Copyright and Ethical AI in the Creative Economy; Cultural Heritage Protection and Return of Cultural Property; Collaborative Approaches to Safeguarding Shared Heritage; and Culture as a Driver of Sustainable Development. Deliberations will contribute towards an Outcome Document. On the sidelines, delegates will attend a cultural programme on June 4, a Ganga cruise and Ganga aarti on June 5, and a Sarnath excursion to the Buddhist heritage site on June 6.
After Varanasi, the culture track will continue with a third working group meeting in Bhopal on August 5-6, a BRICS Cultural Festival in Bhopal on August 6-7, the BRICS Culture Ministers’ meeting in Bhopal on August 7-8, and a BRICS Theatre Festival in New Delhi on October 12-14. In all, India is conducting four official BRICS Culture Track meetings this year — three working group meetings and one Culture Ministers’ Meeting.
{{/usCountry}}After Varanasi, the culture track will continue with a third working group meeting in Bhopal on August 5-6, a BRICS Cultural Festival in Bhopal on August 6-7, the BRICS Culture Ministers’ meeting in Bhopal on August 7-8, and a BRICS Theatre Festival in New Delhi on October 12-14. In all, India is conducting four official BRICS Culture Track meetings this year — three working group meetings and one Culture Ministers’ Meeting.
{{/usCountry}}The first working group meeting was held virtually on April 29-30, with all 11 BRICS member countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Indonesia — participating, where India tabled and discussed three priority areas for 2026 — Creative Economy, Cultural Industries and Copyright in the Age of AI; Cultural Heritage Protection and Return of Cultural Property; and Culture, Climate and Sustainable Development.
Earlier, India hosted BRICS Culture Ministers’ meetings in Goa in 2016 and New Delhi in 2021. BRICS cooperation currently spans over 30 tracks and working mechanisms, with 21 ministerial tracks driving collaboration across sectors including foreign affairs, finance, trade, health, science and technology, culture, tourism, youth, sports, energy, environment and sustainable development.
BRICS currently has 11 full member countries and 10 partner countries. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE joined as full members in January 2024. Indonesia joined in January 2025. Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam joined as Partner Countries in 2025.