Current Affairs - International

India hosted the Eighth BRICS Youth Energy Summit 2026 virtually on August 17, 2026, under its BRICS Chairship. The summit focused on advancing clean energy deployment and strengthening cooperation among young energy professionals. Discussions were organised around three key pillars: energy security and sustainability, energy access and equity, and technology and innovation. More than 100 young energy professionals, the BRICS Youth Energy Agency, the International Solar Alliance, and IRENA participated. India also highlighted initiatives such as PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar, SHANTI Act, RDSS, and the India Energy Stack to demonstrate its efforts toward sustainable and accessible energy.

Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement with India on August 20, 2026, to strengthen Maritime Security Cooperation. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi for the agreement. The cooperation covers Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Search and Rescue (SAR), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). The UNICORN integrated communications antenna system was also finalised as the first defence equipment transfer project between the two countries. India and Japan also conduct exercises such as Veer Guardian, Dharma Guardian, and JAIMEX to enhance military interoperability and strategic cooperation.

India is scheduled to host the BRICS Environment Working Group meetings on 17-18 August 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the nodal ministry coordinating the event. Representatives and environment ministers from BRICS member countries are expected to participate and discuss areas of environmental cooperation. India has previously hosted the BRICS Summit in 2012, 2016, and 2021. Bharat Mandapam, located at Pragati Maidan, is a major international convention and exhibition venue and also hosted the 18th G20 Summit in September 2023.

Nepal is partnering with India to conduct a joint mapping exercise of cross-border land occupation using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The initiative aims to generate reliable technical information about areas where people cultivate or occupy land across the international boundary. The survey is expected to begin after the 2026 monsoon and be completed within three years. India and Nepal agreed on an annual plan and budget during the 13th meeting of the Survey Officers’ Committee in Lucknow. The aerial images will be jointly analysed to understand the nature and extent of cross-border occupation, particularly in areas affected by changing river courses.

Oman reached an agreement with Iran on the shipping route map for vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement followed several weeks of technical negotiations aimed at ensuring safe maritime navigation through this strategically important waterway. Both Iran and Oman border the Strait of Hormuz, making their coordination important for the safe movement of ships and international trade. The agreement focuses specifically on navigation and does not alter either country’s sovereignty over the waterway. However, Iran indicated that the complete restoration of normal commercial shipping remains conditional on broader developments involving the United States.