BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026: Sports Technology, AI, Manufacturing and Indigenous Games Explained
The BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting 2026 concluded in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on 23 August 2026 with the consensus adoption of the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration.
Held under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, the meeting brought together Sports Ministers and senior representatives from all 11 BRICS member countries and sought to transform sports cooperation from periodic diplomatic engagement into practical collaboration in sports technology, artificial intelligence, sports manufacturing, traditional games, athlete exchanges and sports science.
Three initiatives emerging from India’s Chairship are especially important:
BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology → BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave → Traditional & Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games
Together, they show that BRICS is beginning to treat sport not merely as recreation but as an intersection of technology, industry, health, culture and diplomacy.
Why Is It in the News?
On 23 August 2026, BRICS Sports Ministers met in Visakhapatnam under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
The meeting concluded with the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration being adopted by consensus, reaffirming cooperation through dialogue, inclusiveness and mutual respect.
India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 is guided by the broader theme:
“Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The Sports Track has concentrated particularly on:
- sports technology,
- traditional and indigenous sports,
- sports manufacturing, and
- institutional cooperation among BRICS members.
Key Outcomes of the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026
1. BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology
One of the most significant proposals is the creation of a BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology.
Its areas of cooperation are expected to include:
- sports science,
- Artificial Intelligence,
- digital innovation,
- athlete performance, and
- technology-enabled sports development.
This is important because modern elite sport increasingly depends on technology.
AI can be used in sports for:
Performance analytics — analysing movement and performance data.
Injury prevention — detecting physical stress patterns and injury risks.
Training personalisation — adapting training programmes to individual athletes.
Talent identification — using performance data to identify promising athletes.
Biomechanics — analysing running, jumping and throwing techniques.
Strategy analysis — studying opponents and match patterns.
Thus, sports policy is increasingly overlapping with AI, data science, sensors and biotechnology.
2. BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave
India has also proposed a BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave, with the inaugural conclave proposed to be held in Udaipur in November 2026.
The initiative is expected to connect:
sports manufacturers + investors + technology companies + research institutions
with the objective of promoting innovation, investment and collaboration.
This is an economically significant dimension of the declaration.
Sports today represents an entire industrial ecosystem involving:
- sports equipment,
- apparel and footwear,
- wearable technology,
- fitness equipment,
- smart sensors,
- performance-monitoring devices,
- stadium technology,
- sports medicine and
- digital sports platforms.
Therefore, sports policy is also an industrial and manufacturing policy issue.
3. Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games
Another major initiative is the proposed BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games, expected to be held in Ahmedabad in October 2026.
This initiative is especially significant for India.
India has a rich tradition of indigenous sports including:
- Kabaddi
- Kho-Kho
- Mallakhamb
- Kalaripayattu
- Thang-Ta
- Gatka
- Yogasana
- various wrestling traditions.
Promotion through a BRICS platform can provide such sports with greater international visibility.
This combines:
sports + cultural heritage + soft power + people-to-people diplomacy.
Traditional Sports as Cultural Diplomacy
Traditional sports are different from globally commercialised games.
They often carry:
- local history,
- community identity,
- indigenous knowledge,
- physical traditions, and
- cultural practices.
When countries showcase such games internationally, they are not merely organising a sporting competition.
They are presenting aspects of their civilisational identity.
This gives indigenous sports an important role in soft power.
The BRICS Leaders’ Declaration of 2025 had already emphasised cooperation in promoting traditional, local and indigenous sports and strengthening physical-culture and sports cooperation. The 2026 Sports Track moves this agenda toward more concrete initiatives.
4. Athlete and Coach Exchanges
India has called for greater cooperation through:
- athlete exchanges,
- coach exchanges,
- joint competitions, and
- sharing of sports-science knowledge.
This can have several advantages.
Knowledge transfer
Different countries possess expertise in different sports.
Coaches and athletes can learn:
- training techniques,
- conditioning methods,
- sports medicine,
- performance psychology, and
- competition strategies.
Greater exposure
Young athletes gain experience competing with international players.
Institutional cooperation
Sports universities, federations and training centres can develop long-term partnerships.
5. Para-Sports and Inclusion
India also highlighted its efforts to promote para-sports.
This is important from the perspective of:
- inclusion,
- accessibility,
- rights of persons with disabilities,
- equal sporting opportunity, and
- social empowerment.
A modern sports ecosystem cannot be judged only by Olympic medals.
It must also ask:
Who gets the opportunity to participate?
That includes athletes from:
- rural areas,
- economically weaker communities,
- women,
- persons with disabilities, and
- regions with limited sporting infrastructure.
6. Women’s Participation in Sports
The meeting also highlighted the importance of expanding women’s participation in sport.
Sports participation can contribute to women's empowerment through:
- improved health,
- confidence,
- financial opportunities,
- leadership,
- visibility in public life, and
- challenging gender stereotypes.
For India, this aligns with the broader objective of making sporting opportunities more inclusive.
Why Sports Technology Matters
Sports technology represents one of the most interesting aspects of the 2026 declaration.
Modern athletes increasingly rely on:
Wearables → AI analytics → video analysis → biomechanics → nutrition science → sports medicine → recovery technologies
For example, wearable devices can track:
- heart rate,
- acceleration,
- sleep quality,
- workload,
- body movement, and
- recovery.
AI systems can then process large quantities of such data and detect patterns invisible to human observers.
The result can be more scientific training.
But AI in Sports Also Raises Concerns
Technology brings benefits, but its use also creates new policy questions.
Data privacy
Athletes generate highly sensitive physiological and health data.
Who owns this data?
How long should it be stored?
Can commercial companies use it?
Algorithmic bias
An AI talent-identification system may produce biased outcomes if trained on inadequate datasets.
Unequal access
Wealthier countries and elite institutions can afford sophisticated technology.
Smaller sporting systems may fall further behind.
Cybersecurity
Digital performance databases and connected sporting devices can become cyber targets.
Overdependence on technology
Technology should support rather than replace:
coaching judgement + athlete experience + human decision-making.
Therefore, BRICS cooperation on sports technology should ideally develop principles for responsible, secure and inclusive use of AI.
Sports Manufacturing: Why India Is Interested
India’s emphasis on sports manufacturing fits its larger ambition to expand domestic manufacturing under Make in India.
Sports manufacturing has several advantages.
Labour-intensive opportunities
Many sporting products involve manufacturing processes capable of supporting employment.
MSME participation
Small and medium enterprises can participate in:
- equipment manufacturing,
- textiles,
- footwear,
- accessories and
- specialised components.
Export potential
Global sporting events and expanding fitness markets create international demand.
Technology spillovers
Smart wearables and advanced sports equipment connect traditional manufacturing with:
- electronics,
- materials science,
- AI and
- sensor technology.
Thus, the proposed BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave can potentially connect sporting policy with industrial development and global value chains.
Sports as Soft Power
The importance of the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration extends beyond athletes and industries.
Sport is one of the most powerful forms of people-to-people diplomacy.
When athletes compete internationally, they create connections that may survive political disagreements between governments.
Sport can:
- build familiarity among societies,
- create cultural exchanges,
- provide diplomatic meeting spaces,
- generate shared experiences,
- strengthen national image, and
- increase tourism and international visibility.
This is commonly described as sports diplomacy.
What Is Sports Diplomacy?
Sports diplomacy refers to the use of sport, sporting exchanges and sporting events to:
strengthen international relations + create goodwill + promote national image + develop people-to-people contacts.
Historic examples internationally include:
- Ping-Pong diplomacy between the United States and China,
- Olympic diplomacy,
- cricket diplomacy in South Asia.
India's proposal for athlete exchanges and indigenous-sports events within BRICS represents another form of sports diplomacy.
UPSC Connection: Sports and Soft Power
This topic has unusually strong direct UPSC relevance.
In UPSC Mains 2015, candidates were specifically asked whether soft power such as sports and cultural exchanges could help generate goodwill between countries.
The BRICS Sports Declaration provides a contemporary case study for exactly that concept.
It demonstrates how sporting relationships can operate alongside traditional diplomatic engagement.
BRICS as a People-to-People Platform
BRICS originally became prominent because of economic and geopolitical cooperation.
Its agenda has gradually expanded.
Today, cooperation includes areas such as:
- health,
- education,
- science and technology,
- culture,
- tourism,
- youth,
- sports, and
- digital governance.
Sports cooperation therefore reflects a wider transformation of BRICS.
The grouping is attempting to develop not only:
Government-to-Government relations
but also:
People-to-People relations.
This can help create greater societal depth in international partnerships.
BRICS: Prelims Facts
As of the 2026 Sports Ministers’ Meeting, representatives of 11 BRICS member countries participated:
- Brazil
- Russia
- India
- China
- South Africa
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Iran
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
- Indonesia
The 23 August ministerial programme included country statements from representatives of all 11 members.
Prelims Trap
BRICS is not a formal military alliance.
It is a platform for cooperation among major emerging and developing economies across economic, political and increasingly social-sector issues.
Why Visakhapatnam Matters
The Sports Ministers’ Meeting was held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Visakhapatnam is:
- a major port city,
- located on India's eastern coast,
- situated along the Bay of Bengal,
- an important industrial centre, and
- home to the headquarters of the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command.
For Geography preparation, students should be able to locate Visakhapatnam accurately on India's east coast.
BRICS Friendship Cycling Event
As part of the ministerial engagements, a BRICS Friendship Cycling Event was organised in Visakhapatnam.
The event was linked to fitness, environmental awareness and friendship among BRICS countries.
Such events may appear symbolic, but they contribute to the broader objective of creating visible people-centric dimensions of multilateral diplomacy.
Why This Declaration Is Significant for India
1. India can shape the BRICS sports agenda
As the 2026 Chair, India has been able to place its preferred issues—including indigenous sports, technology and manufacturing—on the agenda.
2. Promotion of Indian traditional sports
BRICS platforms can potentially increase international recognition for Indian indigenous games.
3. Sports manufacturing opportunity
India can connect its domestic sports-goods industry with larger international markets and investors.
4. Technology cooperation
Artificial intelligence and sports science partnerships can strengthen athlete development.
5. Soft-power gains
Indian sporting traditions can become instruments of cultural diplomacy.
6. Athlete development
Greater exposure and exchanges can improve training quality.
7. Inclusive sports ecosystem
Para-sports and women's participation can become important dimensions of international cooperation.
Challenges
The declaration is promising, but several challenges remain.
1. Declaration-to-implementation gap
Multilateral groupings frequently produce declarations.
The real test is whether proposals become:
- institutions,
- programmes,
- funding mechanisms, and
- recurring cooperation.
2. Different sporting priorities
BRICS members have very different sporting traditions and development levels.
Creating common priorities may therefore be difficult.
3. Financing
Technology partnerships and international sporting initiatives require stable financing.
4. Standards and regulations
Sports technology involves:
- data,
- medical information,
- AI,
- wearable devices, and
- performance analytics.
Common standards may be required.
5. Commercial competition
Countries cooperating in sports manufacturing are also competitors in international markets.
6. Politicisation of sport
International sport sometimes becomes affected by diplomatic tensions and geopolitical disputes.
This can undermine the very people-to-people connections sports diplomacy seeks to create.
Way Forward
1. Operationalise the Sports Technology Working Group
The proposed Working Group should develop a clear work programme covering:
AI + sports science + digital technology + athlete performance + data governance.
2. Build university and research partnerships
Sports institutes across BRICS countries could undertake joint research in:
- biomechanics,
- nutrition,
- injury rehabilitation,
- sports psychology and
- AI analytics.
3. Create regular athlete exchanges
Rather than one-time events, structured annual exchange programmes should be developed.
4. Develop indigenous-sports circuits
Traditional sports can be showcased across multiple BRICS countries.
5. Integrate MSMEs into sports manufacturing
The proposed Udaipur Conclave should connect small manufacturers with:
- technology firms,
- investors,
- research institutes and
- global sporting organisations.
6. Promote women's and para-sports
Inclusion should become measurable rather than merely declaratory.
7. Create ethical AI principles for sports
Athlete data protection and responsible use of AI should become part of technology cooperation.
Critical Analysis: More Than a Sports Declaration?
The BRICS Sports Joint Declaration becomes strategically interesting because its agenda extends well beyond conventional sporting cooperation.
Consider the three major initiatives:
Sports Technology Working Group
→ AI + science + digital innovation
Sports Manufacturing Conclave
→ industrial policy + investment + Make in India
Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games
→ culture + heritage + soft power
The declaration therefore connects:
Sport + Technology + Economy + Culture + Diplomacy
That makes it more significant than a conventional agreement to organise sporting competitions.
However, its long-term importance will depend on whether these proposals produce durable institutions.
A successful BRICS Sporting Partnership should ultimately be judged by outcomes such as:
- more athlete exchanges,
- actual joint research,
- new sporting technologies,
- greater investment,
- stronger indigenous-sports visibility,
- increased women and para-athlete participation, and
- measurable people-to-people engagement.
★ Why Is This Important for UPSC/State PCS?
★★★★★ High Relevance
UPSC Prelims
Focus on:
- BRICS membership
- India’s BRICS Chairship 2026
- Visakhapatnam
- BRICS Sports Joint Declaration
- Sports Technology Working Group
- Sports Manufacturing Conclave
- Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games
GS Paper II
Relevant to:
- international groupings,
- BRICS,
- soft power,
- public diplomacy,
- people-to-people relations,
- India's role in multilateral institutions.
GS Paper III
Relevant to:
- Artificial Intelligence,
- technology,
- manufacturing,
- innovation,
- MSMEs and
- employment.
GS Paper I
Can be linked with:
- Indian culture,
- traditional sports,
- preservation of intangible heritage.
Essay
Useful themes include:
Sports and Nation Building
Technology and Human Performance
Soft Power in International Relations
Culture in a Globalised World
Related UPSC Previous Year Questions
PYQ 1 — UPSC Mains 2015, GS Paper II
“Terrorist activities and mutual distrust have clouded India–Pakistan relations. To what extent can the use of soft power like sports and cultural exchange help generate goodwill between the two countries? Discuss with suitable examples.”
Link with Current Affairs
The BRICS Sports Joint Declaration provides a direct contemporary example of sports diplomacy and people-to-people cooperation.
PYQ 2 — UPSC Mains 2015, GS Paper II
“Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of the Indian government to improve relationships with its neighbours. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss.”
Link with Current Affairs
Both Project Mausam and the promotion of indigenous sports illustrate how culture and heritage can acquire a strategic foreign-policy dimension through soft power.
Practice MCQs
Q1. With reference to the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting 2026, consider the following statements:
- It was held in Visakhapatnam.
- The BRICS Sports Joint Declaration was adopted by consensus.
- India proposed a BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology.
- The proposed Working Group includes cooperation in Artificial Intelligence.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (d)
Explanation
All four are correct. The Sports Technology Working Group is intended to strengthen cooperation in sports science, AI, digital innovation and athlete performance.
Extra Fact: The meeting took place under India's BRICS Chairship 2026.
Q2. Consider the following pairs:
| Initiative | Proposed location |
|---|---|
| BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave | Udaipur |
| Traditional & Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games | Ahmedabad |
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)
Explanation
Both are correctly matched.
The Manufacturing Conclave is proposed for Udaipur in November 2026, while the Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games are proposed for Ahmedabad in October 2026.
Q3. Which of the following are examples of potential applications of Artificial Intelligence in sports?
- Athlete-performance analysis
- Injury-risk assessment
- Training personalisation
- Talent identification
Select the correct answer:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (d)
Explanation
AI can analyse large datasets relating to athlete performance, health, movement and training to support all four functions.
Prelims Trap: Sports AI also creates issues of data protection, bias and cybersecurity.
Q4. Which one of the following best describes “sports diplomacy”?
(a) Government funding for domestic sporting federations
(b) Using sport and sporting exchanges to advance international goodwill and diplomatic relations
(c) Commercial broadcasting of sporting competitions
(d) Restricting international sporting events to diplomatic representatives
Answer: (b)
Explanation
Sports diplomacy uses sporting engagement as an instrument of soft power and people-to-people relations.
Q5. With reference to BRICS, consider the following countries:
- Indonesia
- Ethiopia
- Egypt
- United Arab Emirates
How many of the above participated as BRICS members in the 2026 Sports Ministers’ Meeting?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer: (d)
Explanation
All four are among the 11 BRICS members represented at the Visakhapatnam meeting.
Mains Practice Questions
Question 1
“Sports diplomacy is emerging as an important instrument of soft power and people-to-people cooperation.” Discuss in the context of the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026.
15 Marks | 250 Words
Suggested Framework
Introduction: Define sports diplomacy and mention the Visakhapatnam Declaration.
Body:
- athlete exchanges,
- indigenous sports,
- cultural diplomacy,
- technology cooperation,
- people-to-people relations,
- BRICS institutionalisation,
- limitations of sports diplomacy.
Conclusion: Sports cannot replace conventional diplomacy but can deepen its social foundations.
Question 2
Examine how Artificial Intelligence and sports technology are transforming modern sports. What challenges must policymakers address while promoting technology-driven athlete development?
10 Marks | 150 Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026?
It is the consensus declaration adopted at the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting in Visakhapatnam on 23 August 2026, aimed at strengthening sporting cooperation among BRICS countries.
Where was the BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting held?
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Who chaired the meeting?
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
How many BRICS member countries participated?
Representatives from all 11 BRICS members participated.
What is the proposed BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology?
It is intended to promote cooperation in areas including sports science, Artificial Intelligence, digital innovation and athlete performance.
Where is the BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave proposed?
Udaipur, in November 2026.
Where are the Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games proposed?
Ahmedabad, in October 2026.
Why are indigenous sports important?
They can preserve cultural heritage while also acting as instruments of soft power and cultural diplomacy.
Is BRICS a sports organisation?
No. BRICS is a broader multilateral grouping of major emerging and developing economies. Sports is one of several areas of cooperation.
Quick Revision Box
BRICS SPORTS JOINT DECLARATION — 2026
Date: 23 August 2026
Venue: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Host: India
Context: India’s BRICS Chairship 2026
Members represented: 11
Declaration: Adopted by consensus
Three Major Initiatives
1. BRICS Working Group on Sports Technology
→ AI + Sports Science + Digital Innovation
2. BRICS Sports Manufacturing Conclave
→ Udaipur | November 2026
3. Traditional & Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games
→ Ahmedabad | October 2026
Other Focus Areas
Athlete exchanges • Coach exchanges • Para-sports • Women in sports • Sports science • Cultural exchange
Conclusion
The BRICS Sports Joint Declaration 2026 demonstrates how the meaning of sports cooperation is expanding.
Sport is increasingly connected with:
Artificial Intelligence → Manufacturing → Employment → Health → Culture → International Relations
India's proposals for a Sports Technology Working Group, Sports Manufacturing Conclave and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games reflect this multidimensional approach.
The most significant opportunity lies in transforming these proposals from diplomatic statements into durable institutions.
If BRICS countries can establish regular athlete exchanges, joint sports-science research, technology partnerships and indigenous-sports platforms, sports could become a meaningful instrument of South-South cooperation and people-to-people diplomacy.
For India, the declaration simultaneously offers an opportunity to strengthen its sporting ecosystem, promote indigenous games, expand sports manufacturing and enhance its soft-power presence within the Global South.
Sources
2. Official government news report on final outcomes
3. Official report on BRICS sporting engagements
4. Official BRICS Leaders’ Declaration 2025
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