8th BRICS Ocean and Polar Science Meeting 2026 in Goa

The 8th BRICS Ocean and Polar Science meeting began in Goa, focusing on joint research, polar cooperation, capacity building and shared infrastructure.

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8th BRICS Ocean and Polar Science Meeting 2026 in Goa

Why in News?

The 8th Meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology (OPST) began in Goa on 12 August 2026. The meeting will continue until 14 August 2026.

The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) is hosting the meeting under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The event is being organised during India’s BRICS Presidency 2026.

What is the BRICS OPST Working Group?

The BRICS Working Group on Ocean and Polar Science and Technology promotes scientific cooperation among BRICS countries in ocean and polar research. Its work covers oceanography, polar ecosystems, marine biodiversity, climate dynamics, and related technologies.

The mechanism supports joint research, scientific exchanges, capacity building, data sharing, and technology development. It also encourages collaborative research and use of polar and marine research infrastructure.

The working group was created within the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation cooperation framework. Official BRICS science records document its early meetings in the late 2010s.

Host Institution and Leadership

The NCPOR is India’s nodal institution for polar and ocean research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Dr Thamban Meloth, Director of NCPOR, is chairing the 2026 meeting as Working Group Chair.

The Goa meeting seeks to move cooperation beyond individual bilateral arrangements towards integrated multilateral research programmes.

Key Agenda and Research Areas

The discussions focus on:

Joint ocean and polar research.
Capacity building and human-resource development.
Scientific exchanges among member countries.
Shared use of research infrastructure.
Development of collaborative research programmes.
Ocean and polar observations and technology.

Such cooperation is increasingly important because climate change, sea-level rise, polar warming, ocean degradation and marine biodiversity loss have consequences far beyond national boundaries.

BRICS cooperation in ocean and polar science aims to generate new scientific knowledge and develop technologies for sustainable use of marine resources. The working group also seeks to strengthen scientific capacity and improve understanding of ocean and polar systems.

India’s participation is particularly significant because of its established polar research programmes and scientific infrastructure, including its Antarctic research activities.