India is hosting the 2026 Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of BRICS nations in Lucknow on August 3 and 4, bringing together senior officials from member countries to advance collaboration in official statistics, innovation, and data-sharing practices. The gathering is being organized under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 and reflects the country’s commitment to building stronger and more resilient statistical systems through international cooperation.
This year’s BRICS Chairship carries the theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” while the Statistics Track centers on “Quality Statistics as Driver of Change.” The focus underscores India’s emphasis on producing reliable data, encouraging innovation, improving accessibility, and developing statistical systems that better serve governments, researchers, businesses, and citizens.
According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the meeting will include representatives from Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Participants will discuss ways to deepen collaboration on statistical publications, share technical expertise, and exchange best practices that can strengthen national statistical frameworks across member countries.
The event builds on the long-standing BRICS Statistics Track, which has encouraged joint statistical initiatives for more than a decade. Since 2010, member countries have collaborated on the Joint Statistical Publication (JSP), providing harmonized data across a broad range of economic and social indicators. In 2020, the group expanded these efforts by introducing the Snapshot BRICS JSP, offering a concise overview of key statistics for policymakers, researchers, and the public.
Preparations for this year’s publications were reviewed during a technical meeting held in April 2026, where national statistical offices discussed timelines, data harmonization, and opportunities to improve statistical methodologies. Those discussions laid the foundation for the current meeting, which aims to enhance coordination and ensure greater consistency in future data releases.
The Lucknow gathering is also expected to promote improvements in macroeconomic and sector-specific statistics while encouraging more efficient data dissemination and wider public access to official information. By strengthening cooperation among participating countries, the meeting seeks to support evidence-based policymaking and reinforce confidence in national statistical systems.
In addition to the main sessions, two special events will explore emerging topics shaping the future of official statistics. One session will examine how administrative data can be better utilized to improve statistical accuracy and efficiency, while another will focus on artificial intelligence readiness and its growing role in modern data ecosystems. Together, these discussions highlight the increasing importance of digital innovation in building smarter, more responsive statistical systems for the future.
