India To Host BRICS Meeting Of Heads Of National Statistical Offices In Lucknow

India will host the BRICS Heads of National Statistical Offices meeting in Lucknow, focusing on data quality, innovation, cooperation, and sustainable statistical systems for policymaking.

New Delhi: India will host the Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of BRICS countries in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from August 3 to 4. The event will bring together senior statistical officials from member nations to strengthen cooperation in official statistics, innovation and data dissemination.

India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026 is guided by the overarching theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS).” Within the BRICS Statistics track, India has adopted the theme “Quality Statistics as Driver of Change”, reflecting an unwavering commitment to data quality, innovation, effective dissemination, and people-centric statistical systems that are responsive to rapid technological advancements, the growing demand for high-frequency and granular data, and the increasing reliance on official statistics to support evidence-based, sustainable, and inclusive development.

Modern BRICS policymaking relies on robust statistics to track development, guide decisions, and build mutual understanding. Since 2010, member countries have published the Joint Statistical Publication (JSP) and Snapshot BRICS JSP (introduced in 2020) to offer accessible, harmonized data. Over time, BRICS statistical cooperation has evolved from basic data collection into deeper alignment on data standards, harmonization, and innovation for policymakers, researchers, and the public.

Two main events on statistical matters are held every year along with side events:

(i) Technical Meeting of NSOs

(ii) Meeting of Heads of NSOs

The Technical Meeting was held during 16 April-17 April, 2026 primarily to facilitate discussions on the chapters of the BRICS JSP and Snapshot BRICS JSP, The discussions were focussed on developing a mutually agreed framework for the JSP and Snapshot 2026, as well as determining the allocation of responsibilities and establishing timelines for contributions from each National Statistical Office (NSO).

The BRICS Statistics Track aims to deliver outcomes under the following priority areas:

• Strengthening Core BRICS Statistical Products (JSP & Snapshot)

• Innovation and Reform in National Statistical Systems

• Data Dissemination and Accessibility

• Strengthening Macroeconomic and Sectoral Statistics

The Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries is expected to be attended by representatives from Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and UAE and with the objective to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of dissemination of statistics through BRICS JSP, innovation in statistical systems, and the exchange of knowledge and best practices.

Two half-day side events with participation from National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries, policymakers, academia, think tanks, civil society organizations and technical experts, are also being organized alongside the BRICS Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) Meeting on the following themes:

• Unlocking the Potential of Administrative Data 03 August 2026)

• Al Readiness in the Evolving Data Ecosystem 04 August 2026) (PIB)