Global South AI Roadmap Set: Ten Nations Pledge Collaborative Science Infrastructure for Sustainable Development

Global South AI Roadmap Set: Ten Nations Pledge Collaborative Science Infrastructure for Sustainable Development​

The Indian National Science Academy (INSA) has spearheaded a landmark initiative toward defining the future of responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI). As part of India's BRICS Presidency 2026, INSA convened the inaugural meeting of the BRICS Science Academies Forum. This high-level virtual gathering brought together ten nations to chart a unified course for AI in support of sustainable development and cooperation across the Global South.

The forum was moderated by Prof. Debashis Mitra, Vice President (International), INSA. He emphasized that this effort aligns with India's presidency theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." The meeting sought to move beyond mere dialogue, focusing instead on making AI a practical tool for inclusive development across the Global South, according to Prof. Shekhar C. Mande, President of INSA.

Defining the Path for Equitable AI Development​

Participants unanimously focused on addressing the significant global divide in AI capacity between developed and developing nations. The proceedings resulted in the strengthening of a draft declaration aimed at ensuring responsible and equitable AI deployment globally. Key outcomes from the preparatory meeting included consensus on establishing shared computing infrastructure, collaborative data platforms, and multilingual AI models.

The initiative also called for tangible actions to bridge this digital gap. This includes setting up joint task forces and implementing schemes for researcher mobility across member states. The Academies underscored that harnessing AI must accelerate critical scientific discovery, spanning materials science, drug development, climate modelling, and engineering.

Cross-Cutting Priorities in BRICS AI Cooperation​

A central focus of the deliberation was establishing common priorities for technology sovereignty and resource sharing among BRICS nations. Prof. Anurag Agrawal, Vice-President (Science Policy), INSA, highlighted several core themes derived from the discussions. These include ensuring open data ecosystems, promoting energy-efficient data centres, and developing robust human resource capacity across all participating nations.

Participants moved beyond reliance on large language models, recognizing the strategic value of smaller, task-oriented industrial AI models. A strong emphasis was placed on making humanities and social sciences integral to AI development, stressing that governance frameworks and ethical standards are non-negotiable elements for trustworthy systems.

Targeted Contributions from Global South Nations​

The forum received targeted recommendations from academies representing diverse regional challenges. China (Chinese Academy of Sciences) called for collaborative AI readiness benchmarks and open-source infrastructure addressing bias and local context. Egypt (ASRT) stressed the critical potential of AI for food security, healthcare, education, and climate change, calling for increased investment in capacity building.

Other nations offered specialized input to sharpen the declaration. Indonesia highlighted AI's role in disaster risk management and early warning systems. Ethiopia advocated for cooperation on cybersecurity and combating cross-border cybercrime. South Africa endorsed open-source AI models while raising concerns regarding social sciences dimensions and costs.

Next Steps for Institutionalizing BRICS Scientific Alliance​

The recommendations generated during this inaugural meeting will be integrated into the revised draft declaration document. Dr. Brajesh Pandey, Executive Director of INSA, announced that the consultative process will culminate in a crucial onsite second meeting. This event is scheduled for 22-23 July 2026 at IIT Hyderabad, where the declaration is expected to achieve finalization.

The collaborative commitment extends across various scientific institutes; CSIR-NIScPR also participated and contributed significantly to the technical deliberations during the forum. The focused effort aims to ensure that South-South BRICS cooperation in AI leads toward genuinely sustainable development outcomes.