India Hosts BRICS Labour Ministers and Launches BRICS CONNECT

India hosted the 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting and the 15th BRICS Trade Union Forum in Hyderabad on July 15 and 16, 2026. Chaired by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the ministerial session focused on labor market formalization, women's workforce participation, and digital protections for gig workers. The members adopted the Labour and Employment Ministers' Declaration and launched BRICS CONNECT, a flagship initiative for capacity building and technical collaboration.

During the summit, International Labour Organization Director General Gilbert Hungbo announced that India's social protection system now reaches 1 billion individuals, citing the expansion as a model for South-South cooperation. Trade union representatives at the parallel forum adopted the Hyderabad Declaration, which argues that artificial intelligence and automation should support human workers rather than replace them, urging governments to implement safeguards against job displacement.

On the sidelines, India and Brazil reaffirmed their Strategic Partnership, with Brazil expressing interest in India's e-Shram portal, which has registered over 315 million informal workers. To demonstrate its digital leadership, Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje led a delegation to the Bosch Global Software Technologies campus and the CII Green Business Centre, highlighting India's network of over 2,100 Global Capability Centres employing 2.36 million professionals.