India will host the 2026 BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting (LEMM) in Hyderabad on 15–16 July 2026.  The meeting will bring together Ministers and senior officials from the BRICS member States, marking one of the key ministerial engagements of India's BRICS chairship in 2026.

The meeting is being convened under India's BRICS Chairship theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS)". Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya will chair the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meeting.

The LEMM follows the Third BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting, held in Hyderabad on 13–14 July 2026, where member countries shared best practices and national experiences across the four priority areas.

• Advancing social security and formalisation of labour markets
• Enhancing women's participation and inclusion in the workforce
• Cooperation on employability, skills mapping and development
• Leveraging digital technologies for all workers, including gig and platform workers

Ministers will deliberate upon these four priority areas and share best practices and innovative approaches drawn from their national experiences, ranging from social protection reforms and formalisation strategies to skilling initiatives  and inclusive  models for platform-based work.

The Working Group also concluded discussions on a draft declaration, which will now be placed before the Ministers for their consideration and adoption at the LEMM.

The meeting will offer a platform for sustained dialogue among BRICS Member States on shared labour market and employment challenges in a fast-changing world of work. Discussions will centre on strengthening cooperation in advancing social protection, workforce skilling, and labour market policy, with the aim of promoting inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth across BRICS countries.

The deliberations are also intended to focus on practical, replicable policy tools and identify pathways through which labour markets across BRICS countries can remain inclusive, adaptable and responsive to changing economic and technological realities.

The Hyderabad meeting is expected to strengthen cooperation among BRICS nations and contribute to practical, forward-looking outcomes on labour, employment and worker welfare. Through continued dialogue and knowledge-sharing, BRICS countries aim to advance policies that support decent work, broaden social protection, foster skills development and prepare their workforces for the opportunities and challenges of the future of work.

*****

Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander