8th BRICS Working Group on Oceanic and Polar Science & Technology 2026

India is hosting the 8th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology (OPST) in Goa, running from August 12 to 14, as part of its BRICS Presidency 2026. The meeting is being organised by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Goa welcomes delegates to the 8th BRICS Working Group on Oceanic and Polar Science & Technology 

1. The three-day event was inaugurated on August 12 in the presence of Dr. M. Rajeevan, Vice-Chancellor of Atria University and former Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with directors and scientists from various Earth Sciences institutions and officials from the Department of Science and Technology. Dr. Thamban Meloth, Director of NCPOR and Chair of the Working Group for 2026, welcomed the participants. 
2. The meeting brings together scientists, experts, and officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, the UAE, and India to discuss ongoing national programmes and explore areas of shared scientific interest in ocean and polar research.
3.  Discussions during the meeting are focused on bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral cooperation, along with joint research, capacity building, scientific exchanges, and the shared use of research infrastructure.

About BRICS OPST Working Group

The BRICS OPST Working Group was set up in 2018 to encourage scientific cooperation, knowledge sharing, and collaborative research among member countries in ocean and polar sciences. This is the eighth meeting of the group so far, and India had previously hosted the third meeting back in 2020, during its earlier BRICS Presidency. This year's meeting is expected to deepen scientific ties among BRICS nations, with a focus on resilience, innovation, and sustainability in ocean and polar research.

About India's Blue Economy Initiatives

1. As part of the meeting, Dr. Rajeevan delivered a keynote address on India's Blue Economy Initiatives. 
2. India's blue economy focuses on using ocean resources sustainably to support economic growth, coastal livelihoods, and maritime security. 
3. With a coastline stretching over 7,500 km and an Exclusive Economic Zone spanning 2.2 million sq km, this sector contributes around 4% to India's national GDP through fisheries, shipping, and coastal industries.