Overview
- The 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum concluded with member states formally adopting the Urban Ministerial, also called the Delhi Declaration, committing to inclusive and resilient urban development.
- Delegations accepted India's proposal to create the BRICS Urban Research and Knowledge Network, a chair-led virtual platform designed for applied research, peer learning and policy exchange.
- The proposed network will operate through one nodal organisation nominated by each BRICS member and be coordinated annually by the chair country, but officials have not yet named nodal bodies or agreed operational rules.
- The forum focused on practical city challenges such as affordable housing, municipal finance, climate and disaster resilience, and digital governance, and India launched a report titled 'India’s Urban Transformation: Stories of Change' to showcase best practices.
- The two-day forum, which concluded on Friday, June 12, 2026, signals a shift from episodic discussion to a structured cooperation model but leaves key next steps—governance, funding and country commitments—to be negotiated before the network can begin work.