New Delhi · 5–6 March 2026
BRICS International School: New Generation marks tenth edition in New Delhi
Two hundred young leaders from 80 Indian institutions joined the tenth edition of this flagship BRICS educational programme, which this year introduced its first Junior Track for secondary school students.
The BRICS International School: New Generation convened its largest edition to date in New Delhi on 5–6 March, bringing together 200 young leaders from 80 Indian universities, think tanks and youth organisations for two days of dialogue on the BRICS agenda. The programme was organised by the BRICS Expert Council–Russia and HSE University, in partnership with the Russian House in New Delhi and with the support of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was convened to coincide with India’s 2026 BRICS Chairship.
Over the course of the school, participants engaged with lectures, expert panels and presentations addressing the full breadth of the BRICS cooperation agenda — spanning politics and security, economic cooperation, sustainable development, innovation and humanitarian affairs. The opening session was addressed by Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia and Vice Rector at HSE University, who outlined the history, priorities and development trajectory of BRICS cooperation. She was joined by Mikhail Pontser, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in India, and Elena Remizova, Head of the Russian House in New Delhi.
The second day brought together a wider circle of Russian and Indian scholars and practitioners, including Binod Singh Ajatshatru, Director of the BRICS Institute (India), who addressed the priorities of India’s 2026 Chairship, and Igor Makarov of HSE University, who spoke on the investment required to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Further sessions examined BRICS economic cooperation, technological development and the group’s capacity to address shared global challenges.
At the close of the programme, all participants were formally inducted into the global BRICS International School alumni network — a growing community, now numbering over 1,000 young leaders from more than 60 nations since the programme’s founding in 2017.
A new Junior Track
This year’s edition introduced an inaugural Junior Track, extending the programme to secondary school students for the first time. Sixty students aged 15 to 17, drawn from 15 schools across Delhi, took part in a dedicated mentoring day featuring interactive lectures, quizzes and guided discussions on the history of BRICS and the youth diplomacy initiatives under way across member countries. Sessions were led by 2025 graduates of the main programme.
“I found the session incredibly engaging and inspiring. We learned a lot about different countries, their education systems, and the history of BRICS, and the interactive quizzes added an exciting element of competition, making the learning process even more enjoyable.”
Graduates of the inaugural Junior Track will be eligible to advance to the main BRICS International School programme in future years, establishing a continuous pathway between the two tracks. Members of the BRICS Youth Alliance network were among the young leaders who took part in this year’s programme, reflecting the Alliance’s ongoing engagement with flagship youth-facing BRICS initiatives across the region.
The BRICS International School: New Generation is the flagship educational and outreach initiative of the BRICS Expert Council–Russia, implemented since 2017 with the support of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is dedicated to cultivating a new generation of specialists in BRICS affairs drawn from member and partner countries.