BRICS+ Dialogue 2026 Unites Global South Leaders to Advance Women’s Leadership, Innovation, Startups and Healthcare Ahead of BRICS Summit

BRICS+ Dialogue 2026 Unites Global South Leaders to Advance Women’s Leadership, Innovation, Startups and Healthcare Ahead of BRICS Summit

BRICS+ Dialogue 2026 Brings Global South Leaders Together to Advance Partnerships in Women’s Leadership, Innovation, Startups and Healthcare

The BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI) hosted the BRICS+ Dialogue 2026 at the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, investors, academics and sectoral experts from across the expanding BRICS+ ecosystem.

BRICS+ Dialogue 2026

Held under the theme “Building Inclusive, Innovative & Resilient Pathways for the Global South,” the Dialogue took place as India holds the BRICS Presidency and focused on strengthening practical cooperation among emerging economies through business partnerships, innovation, women’s economic participation and healthcare collaboration.

Organised by BRICS CCI and powered by GrowQR, the Dialogue emphasised the need to translate conversations into tangible partnerships, investments, technology linkages and opportunities across the Global South.

Mr. Sameep Shastri, Chairman, BRICS CCI and President, BRICS CCI Young Leaders, called for a stronger focus on outcomes, stating, “BRICS+ must move from dialogue to delivery—creating real partnerships, investments, technology linkages and opportunities across the Global South.”

Opening the proceedings, Ms. Shabana Nasim, Vice Chairperson, BRICS CCI, highlighted the role of technology and inclusion in shaping future economies. She said, “Technology, education and women’s empowerment must work together to build truly inclusive and future-ready economies across BRICS+.”

In his Special Address, Mr. Atul Banshal, Vice Chairman, BRICS CCI, stressed the importance of deepening commercial connections across BRICS+ markets. He noted, “The next phase of BRICS+ cooperation must deepen the movement of capital, technology, talent and enterprise across our markets.”

Advancing Women’s Leadership Across BRICS+

The first session, “From Margins to Mainstream — Institutionalising Women’s Leadership in BRICS Innovation Ecosystems,” explored the growing role of women in entrepreneurship, innovation, technology and decision-making.

Moderated by Ms. Ruby Sinha, President, BRICS CCI WE, the session featured distinguished voices including Mr. Sanjay Bhattacharyya, former Indian Foreign Secretary and former BRICS Sherpa; HRH Ms. Lebogang Zulu, Executive Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance South Africa; Ms. Monica Monteiro, Chairperson, BRICS WBA Brazilian Chapter; Ms. Shadi Sedghinejad; and Ms. Yana Oseyeva.

Ms. Sinha emphasised that women’s participation is central to sustainable economic growth, saying, “Women’s leadership is an economic imperative. BRICS+ must expand women’s access to capital, markets, mentorship and decision-making.”

HRH Ms. Zulu highlighted the importance of building stronger connections among women entrepreneurs across markets: “Economic empowerment means connecting women to capital, markets and opportunities at scale.”

Mr. Bhattacharyya observed, “As BRICS+ expands, its strength will depend on the quality of cooperation it creates across societies, economies and knowledge networks.”

Adding to the discussion, Ms. Monteiro said, “Stronger cross-border networks can help women entrepreneurs turn ideas into markets, partnerships and opportunities.”

A key outcome of the Dialogue was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Karnataka State Marketing Communications and Advertising Limited (KSMCA) and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance South Africa under the “Screen to Market Pathway 2028” initiative.

The MoU seeks to establish practical cross-border pathways for creative talent, enterprises and market access, reinforcing the Dialogue’s broader objective of turning conversations into meaningful collaboration and commercial opportunities.

Building a Connected BRICS+ Startup Ecosystem

The second session, “Building the BRICS+ Innovation and Startup Economy,” focused on entrepreneurship, investment, technology, digital transformation and the development of a more integrated startup ecosystem across BRICS+ markets.

Moderated by Mr. Bibin Babu, Executive Director, BRICS CCI and Founder & CEO, GrowQR, the session brought together Mr. Dmitry Khrichenko, Ms. Nokuthula Nokky Ndlovu, Mr. Mudit Kumar, Mr. Anudeep Muttavarapu, Dr. Nageswara Rao Atyam, Mr. P. Ramakrishna and Mr. Mahavir Pratap Sharma.

Mr. Babu highlighted the opportunity for BRICS+ to connect entrepreneurs with capital, technology and global markets, stating, “BRICS+ can connect founders, investors, technology ecosystems and markets, enabling innovation from the Global South to scale globally.”

The discussions explored how stronger cross-border networks can help startups access new markets, investment opportunities, technology partnerships and talent, while enabling innovations emerging from the Global South to reach a wider global audience.

Healthcare Cooperation Beyond Borders

The third session, “Health Beyond Borders — Advancing a Shared Vision for the Future,” examined healthcare cooperation as a critical pillar of sustainable and inclusive development.

Moderated by Mr. Prann Sharma, Director General, BRICS CCI, the session brought together healthcare, policy and business leaders including Ms. Pauline Maksimovna Pavlova, Ms. Mbali Khumalo, Dr. Anoop Mirakhur, Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Dr. Vaibhav Kapoor, Dr. Anupama Mutthige and Dr. Moumita Nandy.

Mr. Sharma underlined the potential for BRICS+ countries to collaborate on technology, traditional knowledge and affordable healthcare delivery models, saying, “Healthcare offers BRICS+ an opportunity to combine technology, traditional knowledge and affordable delivery models to create solutions that cross borders.”

The session highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange, technology-led healthcare solutions and accessible delivery models in addressing shared health challenges across emerging economies.

Championing Inclusive Growth

The Dialogue also featured a Keynote Address by Dr. Payal Bansal Kanodia, Promoter, M3M Group and Chairperson, Paralympic Committee of India.

Speaking on the importance of inclusion in development, Dr. Kanodia said, “Inclusive growth means creating opportunities for every individual to participate, contribute and lead. Stronger partnerships across the Global South can help turn this vision into meaningful social and economic impact.”

Her address reinforced the broader message of the Dialogue: that economic growth and international cooperation must be designed to create opportunities across communities and enable wider participation in emerging markets.

Strengthening Global South Collaboration

The initiative was supported by GrowQR, BRICS Women Business Alliance (WBA), Dexter Energy, SABYA, SACCI, NIELIT, World People’s Assembly, ACCWs, Ideabaaz and Easy Knowledge Club.

The BRICS+ Dialogue 2026 reaffirmed BRICS CCI’s commitment to strengthening business and institutional linkages across the expanding BRICS+ community. By bringing together leaders from business, government, academia, entrepreneurship and sectoral institutions, the Dialogue provided a platform for identifying opportunities for deeper cooperation across markets and industries.

The event concluded with a renewed emphasis on building an ecosystem where cooperation among Global South economies translates into markets, investments, innovation, knowledge exchange and inclusive opportunities—moving the BRICS+ conversation from dialogue towards meaningful collaboration and action.

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