BRICS reaffirms energy security as cornerstone of cooperation

New Delhi: Energy ministers of the BRICS nations on Thursday reaffirmed that energy security remains central to the grouping’s cooperation, stressing the need for diversified, resilient and transparent energy systems and supply chains.

Meeting in Gurugram under the Indian chairmanship, the ministers adopted the 11th Joint Communiqué of BRICS Energy Ministers, which stated that energy security remains a cornerstone of BRICS cooperation and emphasized the need for diversified, resilient and transparent energy systems and supply chains.

Energy Minister Manohar Lal said energy paths will vary from country to country, adding that developing countries need adequate time, resources and policy space to pursue sustainable development while meeting the legitimate aspirations of their people.

“Ministers emphasized that access to safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy is essential for economic development, job creation, industrialization and human dignity,” the Department of Energy said in a statement.

Ministers also emphasized the importance of balanced and diversified energy mixes, promoting cleaner and more efficient energy technologies and cooperation in areas such as new technologies in fossil fuels, renewable energy, biofuels, hydrogen, energy storage, critical minerals, carbon capture technologies, digitization and energy efficiency, while reaffirming the importance of available financing.

Lal said India has become the world’s third largest producer and consumer of electricity with an installed power generation capacity approaching 540 GW and non-fossil sources accounting for more than half of the installed capacity.

The BRICS Digital Center of Excellence for Smart Grid and Energy Storage has been launched under the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform (ERCP). The Center will serve as a voluntary collaborative platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, exchange of policy and regulatory best practices, and development of pilot initiatives among BRICS countries.

Furthermore, the BRICS Guiding Principles on Smart Grids and Energy Storage were adopted, recognizing the growing importance of modern, resilient and digitally enabled energy systems in supporting reliable and affordable energy access, while facilitating the integration of renewable energy and emerging technologies.

The meeting approved the updated BRICS ERCP Terms, which strengthened the institutional framework for research, technical cooperation and knowledge exchange among the BRICS countries.

The meeting was attended today by representatives of all 11 BRICS member countries – Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE.