The changing world order is characterised by a sharp rise in global instability, in which international cooperation cannot depend solely on economic benefits, financial institutions, diplomacy, or negotiation. Global cooperation requires relationships among people, especially among BRICS, whose expansion has enhanced its pluralistic character. BRICS formally rests on three pillars: political and security cooperation, economic and financial cooperation, and cultural exchanges. India’s 2026 BRICS presidency gives an opportunity to reconstruct this third pillar. Its theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” reflects a “people-centric” and “Humanity First” approach. For the XVIII BRICS Summit, more than 350 meetings were organised across 25 cities in India.

The main argument of this article is that BRICS should move beyond the conventional paradigm of cultural diplomacy and leverage culture as a strategic asset for human development. A human-centric approach can empower and uplift society while fostering innovation and livelihood. The objective should not be cultural homogenisation, but institutional collaboration that allows epistemic diversity to contribute to a shared BRICS trajectory.

Culture is a familiar theme within BRICS. The organisation has developed various people-to-people cooperation mechanisms through diverse socio-cultural, youth and academic initiatives. The 2025 Rio de Janeiro Declaration reaffirmed that people-to-people exchange is strengthening intercultural understanding while emphasising respect for cultural diversity and creative expression. India’s Presidency has already pushed cultural cooperation towards a pragmatic policy. The BRICS Culture Working Group prioritised creative economy and cultural cooperation, including heritage protection and sustainable development. In August 2026, the Bhopal Declaration further safeguards Traditional Knowledge Systems and Cultural Expressions. India also announced a pilot Voluntary Artist Registry to enhance cultural networks across BRICS. The challenge now is to move cultural cooperation from temporary events to long-term development programmes.

 From Traditional Knowledge to Sustainable Development

Across BRICS, various knowledge systems, from India’s Ayurveda and yoga to China’s acupuncture, South Africa’s Ubuntu, with modern technology from Russia and other partners, give different approaches to wellness and human-nature. Through the New Delhi Declaration, the value of Traditional knowledge systems, local community practices, local innovations, and community experiences in addressing climate change has been recognised. BRICS Centres of Excellence on Agro-Ecology, BRICS network on Digital Agriculture, BRICS AGRIN, BRICS Mission for Healthy Lifestyle, BRICS Youth Cooperation Framework 2026, BRICS Startup Innovation Fund, etc. reflected continued focus on practical cooperation for an inclusive global order. These indigenous knowledge systems allow BRICS to rethink sustainability through three interconnected dimensions: national energy, environmental energy, and human energy. The three are interdependent as cleaner energy supports healthier environments which in turn strengthen human productivity and resilience. Cultural exchange can therefore serve as a tool for BRICS countries to share knowledge on wellness, environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, and public well-being.

The objective, however, should not be to idealise traditional knowledge or set it against modern science. The more productive approach is:

Traditional knowledge + scientific research + technology + ethical commercialisation = sustainable innovation.

 However, through commercialisation, traditional knowledge can be appropriated without recognition or compensation. WIPO’s 2024 Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge addresses this problem by introducing patent disclosure obligations for genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Therefore, BRICS collaboration should ensure documentation, authentication, improvement, protection and mutual sharing of advantages.

 From Cultural Events to Human Connectivity

 The next part deals with people. Trade links markets but it cannot automatically connect people. Culture and knowledge help develop international communities and reduce the impact of national interests on one another. Studies have shown that BRICS cultural cooperation enhances its global narrative and involvement, though earlier researchers found its cultural initiatives insufficiently strategic. This criticism is necessary as it highlights that cultural cooperation produces sustained institutional relationships rather than only festivals and symbolic events.

 Youth plays an integral role here. The 2024 Kazan Declaration promoted youth exchanges in various fields and strengthened the BRICS Youth Council, while India’s Presidency links youth cooperation to innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

 Therefore, BRICS should transform cultural diplomacy into knowledge dissemination, which will help students, researchers, artists, practitioners, entrepreneurs and educators to collaborate across borders. A “Forest Culture” model could capture this vision like a forest; BRICS should leverage the diversity and interdependence of its civilisations and knowledge systems for people-to-people connectivity, leading to long-term cooperation and stability.

The best example is set by India through the organisation of BRICS Bazaar 2026 at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, New Delhi, under the theme “Crafting Cultures, Connecting People.” The event included demonstrations, exhibitions, installations, cultural performances, alongside a “Meet the Maker” initiative featuring artisans from BRICS countries.  From Russia’s traditional Gzhel ceramics to Iran’s handicrafts, and from China, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and Indonesia, all had something to add to this colourful celebration. This gave people-to-people diplomacy a more tangible form. The transactions were also conducted in local Indian currency, reflecting the institution’s motto of promoting trade in local currency. BRICS Culture Festivals,  Theatre and Film Festivals, and WAVES Bazaar were recognised as platforms for cultural diversification. “BRICS Symphony” at Bharat Mandapam further resonated with people-to-people connectivity within the Summit.

Recommendations

 Establish a BRICS Knowledge and Wellness Hub: BRICS should develop a permanent network to link universities, research institutions, cultural organisations, traditional knowledge systems, and entrepreneurs to work together on comparative research, documentation, scientific authentication, and exchange.

Develop a BRICS Knowledge and Innovation Network: Like India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, BRICS could create a platform to document community-held knowledge while ensuring intellectual property rights and community ownership. India’s TKDL has demonstrated how digital technologies can help protect traditional knowledge from misuse.

Launch a BRICS Youth Fellowship: A long-term fellowship could help young people understand the BRICS countries’ cultures, heritage, indigenous knowledge, and amalgamated practices, thereby transforming temporary cultural diplomacy into sustained people-to-people relationships.

These initiatives could leverage BRICS’ cultural, academic, and youth mechanisms while delivering sustainable development outcomes.

Conclusion

 The post-Summit developments reflect on the growing role of culture within BRICS cooperation through exhibitions, performances and dialogue. The Delhi Declaration incorporates climate resilience, education, tourism, heritage, and the development of creative centres, with people-to-people exchange. The Declaration recognises the role of young researchers and innovators in strengthening youth innovation ecosystems and reaffirms its commitment to advancing universal health coverage.

BRICS would evolve from an abstract domain of diplomacy to a mechanism for holistic human development. Community-held knowledge, technology, health care, and youth integration can together help create living spaces that are healthier, more resilient, and socially cohesive. Trade might connect markets, but people-to-people connectivity, with skills and innovation, is what fundamentally runs every system.

 A multilateral global system that is more resilient should therefore not be judged only by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but by the quality of life, dignity, and skills of its people. BRICS countries should focus on developing stronger interpersonal and communal bonds, along with economic advancement, because development is meaningful only when it serves humanity. Therefore, multilateral cooperation can only be regarded as successful if they adopt a holistic developmental approach.