India’s BRICS presidency offers an opportunity to turn the idea of South-South cooperation into practical development outcomes, the UNDP India chief has said, as New Delhi prepares to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12 and 13.
The remarks come at a crucial stage for the expanded BRICS grouping, which is seeking to translate its growing economic and political influence into tangible cooperation on development, technology, innovation and resilience.
India assumed the BRICS chairship for 2026 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The country has positioned the presidency around practical collaboration across a range of sectors rather than limiting the grouping to high-level political discussions.
From Commitments to Practical Outcomes
South-South cooperation refers broadly to collaboration among developing and emerging economies to exchange knowledge, technology, resources and development experience.
The UNDP's focus on results reflects a central challenge facing BRICS: how to ensure that declarations and policy commitments eventually translate into projects that improve livelihoods and strengthen economic resilience.
For India, its BRICS presidency provides a platform to showcase development experiences while also learning from other member countries in areas where they have built successful models.
India Puts Development at the Centre
New Delhi has sought to make development cooperation an important component of its BRICS agenda.
The grouping's work during India's presidency has included discussions around digital public infrastructure, healthcare, education, skills, innovation, climate-related challenges and sustainable development.
India's experience with large-scale digital systems such as UPI and its broader digital public infrastructure approach has also created opportunities for knowledge-sharing with other emerging economies.
The objective is not necessarily to replicate one country's model wholesale, but to allow BRICS members to adapt proven solutions to their own national circumstances.
BRICS Looks for Practical Economic Cooperation
The economic agenda provides another route for converting South-South cooperation into measurable outcomes.
BRICS leaders and officials are considering initiatives including a proposed BRICS Incubator Network, a startup innovation fund and a logistics and supply-chain cooperation framework. These proposals are aimed at connecting entrepreneurs, improving access to innovation ecosystems and making trade networks more resilient.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has also called for BRICS countries to open their markets, reduce non-tariff barriers and strengthen payment-system links, including through greater use of local currencies.
Such measures could give South-South cooperation a more direct impact on businesses and entrepreneurs.
Technology and Innovation as Development Tools
Technology is another area where BRICS countries can potentially share solutions.
Developing economies face many common challenges, including unequal access to technology, digital skills gaps and the need to expand public services without sharply increasing costs.
Cooperation in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, startups and open technologies could allow countries to exchange both technical expertise and policy experience.
India's presidency has placed innovation prominently within its BRICS agenda, with the broader aim of making technology contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth.
The Expanded BRICS Faces a Delivery Test
The opportunity comes with significant challenges.
The expanded BRICS now brings together 11 member countries with different economic structures, political systems and foreign-policy priorities. Current geopolitical tensions, including the war involving Iran and divisions within the grouping, could complicate efforts to reach consensus.
That makes practical cooperation particularly important.
Projects involving trade, development, technology or infrastructure can demonstrate the usefulness of the grouping even when member states disagree on wider geopolitical issues.
Why South-South Cooperation Matters
For developing economies, South-South cooperation can offer an additional channel for accessing technology, expertise, investment and development solutions.
It can also reduce the assumption that policy and technological innovation must always flow from developed economies to developing ones.
BRICS provides a large platform for countries to exchange experiences across different stages of development. The New Development Bank, for example, was created to support infrastructure and sustainable-development financing among member countries and other developing economies.
The next challenge is ensuring that such institutional cooperation produces visible outcomes on the ground.
India’s Opportunity as BRICS Chair
India's presidency gives New Delhi an opportunity to demonstrate that a larger BRICS can function as more than a diplomatic forum.
The emphasis on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability provides a framework for pursuing initiatives in which businesses, governments, development institutions and civil society can participate.
The UNDP's call to turn South-South cooperation into results therefore comes at a significant moment.
For India, the success of its BRICS presidency may ultimately be measured not only by the agreements announced in New Delhi, but by whether those commitments lead to new partnerships, stronger development capacity and practical benefits across the Global South.
