India
Source: brics2021.gov.in

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) hosted the 5 th Anti-Drug Working Group Meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies on 24 June 2021 virtually under BRICS presidency of India.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Rakesh Asthana, Director General, NCB. Mr. Rodrigo Bertoglio Cardoso, Division for Combating Transnational Crime, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented Brazil, Mr. Kirill Smurov, First Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate for Drug Control, Ministry of Internal Affairs represented Russia, Mr. Lan Weihong, Deputy Secretary General of National Narcotics Control Commission and Deputy Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Public Security, represented China and Advocate Andrea Johnson, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Organized Crime National Head: National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), represented South Africa in the meeting.

Mr. Rakesh Asthana, DG, NCB steered the BRICS meeting and briefed the member states about the enforcement efforts of India in eradicating drug trafficking in the region. He stated that although India has seized more than 1000kg of Heroin from its territorial waters in the last one year, more concerted efforts are required for tackling maritime trafficking of drugs. He also emphasized the need for closer co-operation between BRICS nations in fighting drug trafficking, which is increasingly turning into more technologically aided. Mr. Asthana pointed out that India has interdicted considerably more drug trafficking attempts through couriers & parcels in 2020 and all the member countries will benefit from the analysis of the change in tactics adopted by the drug trafficking organisations during the times of COVID-19.

During the meeting, the participants discussed on drug trafficking through B2B platforms, illicit financial flows related to drug trafficking, maritime drug trafficking and sharing of best practices for interdiction of couriers at airports. The member states also discussed on future co-operation in conducting joint training program on darknet and trafficking of drugs through express courier parcels. Deliberations were made on conducting controlled delivery operations. The meeting also discussed on the needs for a Mechanism for BRICS Anti-Drug Liaison Officers proposed by India.

India
Source: brics2021.gov.in

Ministry of Power in close coordination with NTPC Ltd organized a Two-Day Seminar on Green Hydrogen Initiatives from 22-23 June 2021 under the India's 2021 BRICS Chairship. Senior officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa actively participated and shared their insights on the subject as well as the latest developments going on in their countries in the area of green hydrogen. Union Power Secretary, Mr. Alok Kumar, said that the government and industry must work together to endure existing regulations are not unnecessary barriers to investment. He informed the delegations that hydrogen can play a vital role in decarbonizing hard to abate sectors such as heavy industries and also long haul transportation sector. The BRICS delegations were also informed of India's recent announcement of launching an ambitious National Hydrogen Mission to introduce hydrogen purchase obligations for fertilizers, refineries involving private sector in transparent and competitive manner to produce green hydrogen. The seminar also saw an active participation of the industry members who deliberated at length about the various issues concerning the Hydrogen Sector and the prospective areas of possible future collaborations. The extensive deliberations over the course of the seminar provided the delegations, a better shared understanding of the hydrogen landscape from the BRICS perspective which, going forward, could result in tangible outcomes for the BRICS nations.

Russia
Source: tass.com

According to Nikolai Patrushev, large-scale attacks with using information warfare and tools of external pressure are also carried out against other countries

MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has said there has been flagrant outside interference in the internal political affairs of the SCO and BRICS countries.

"Flagrant interference in the internal political affairs with the aim of destabilizing the situation is carried out in relation to the SCO and BRICS member states and their partners," he said at the IX Moscow Conference on International Security.

According to Patrushev, large-scale attacks with using information warfare and tools of external pressure at the political, ideological, diplomatic and military levels are also carried out against other countries, including Venezuela, Nicaragua and a number of African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

India
Source: vigyanprasar.gov.in

BRICS Nations have unanimously agreed on an innovation co-operation at the 11th BRICS S&T Steering Committee Meeting. The proposal put forward by India would be considered at the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Entrepreneurship (STIEP) working group for elaborating the action plan.

The concept note and Action Plan for BRICS Innovation Cooperation 2021- 2024 was discussed during the meeting organized on June 22, 2021 to review the implementation of BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation(STI)Calendar of Activities. The discussions also included BRICS Young Scientist Conclave, BRICS Senior Official Meetings and BRICS Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting; BRICS Partnership in India's Technology Summit, and call for Proposals 2021.

It was attended by Representatives from BRICS scientific ministries. Hosted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), GoI, the meeting was led from the Indian side by Sanjeev Kumar Varshney, Advisor & Head International Cooperation.

Representatives from Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) also participated in it. This meeting was hosted as a part of the series of sectoral events including Minister level meeting and BRICS Summit.

India which has assumed the BRICS presidency from January, 2021will host 6th edition of BRICS Young Scientist Conclave during 13-16 September 2021. As proposed by India, the thematic areas for conclave would includehealthcare; energy solution and; interdisciplinary cyber physical system. The announcement for Conclave will be made in first week of July.

Russia
Source: infobrics.org

The first batches of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine are expected to be delivered to Brazil in early July, Camilo Santana, governor of the Brazilian state of Ceara, announced.

"This morning, there was a meeting between representatives of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, responsible for the Sputnik V vaccine, and the governors of the North-East (Brazil). The Fund confirmed the deliveries of the first doses of the vaccine in early July, and the dose distribution schedule will be ready by the end of this month," Santana tweeted. The RDIF head, Kirill Dmitriev, confirmed earlier that the supplies of the Russian vaccine to Brazil will begin in July.

On June 5, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency Anvisa has approved the import and emergency use of the Russian Sputnik V with a number of restrictions. The drug has been long sought by the governors of six Brazilian states, the Brazilian interregional development consortium and Brazilian lab Uniao Quimica, which is already producing the vaccine.

Sputnik V has been so far approved in 67 countries with a total population of over 3.4 billion people. The Russian vaccine ranks second in the world in terms of the number of approvals by government regulators.

The effectiveness of the vaccine is 97.6 per cent based on the analysis of data from 3.8 million vaccinated Russians, which is higher than the data previously published by medical journal The Lancet (91.6 per cent).

India
Source: www.hindustantimes.com

Agriculture scientists from Bihar will give tips on makhana (fox nut) cultivation to their counterparts and farmers from BRICS after its member countries, Brazil, Russia and South Africa and China, requested the Indian government for the same, officials said on Saturday


Agriculture scientists from Bihar will give tips on makhana (fox nut) cultivation to their counterparts and farmers from BRICS after its member countries, Brazil, Russia and South Africa and China, requested the Indian government for the same, officials said on Saturday.

Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, has been asked to prepare a training module for agriculture scientists/experts/farmers in BRICS member countries.

Anjani Kumar, director of Patna-based ATARI (Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute), said, "The world is looking to Bihar for makhana cultivation. BRICS member countries have requested Indian government to provide scientific inputs on makhana cultivation. BAU at Sabour has been asked to prepare a module for training in this regard."

Recently, a five-day webinar was organized by Bhola Paswan Shastri (BPS) Agricultural College, Purnia, under BAU-Sabour, on "Strengthening of makhana value chain in Bihar" between June 16 and 20.

Makhana is being increasingly recognized as a super food, believed to be packed with nutritional and medicinal properties. "Its demand has risen sharply, especially during the pandemic, given its immunity booster property," said Vidyanath Jha, a professor at Lalit Narayan Mithila University (LNMU) at Darbhanga. "Makhana has established Bihar in general, and Mithilanchal, Kosi and Seemanchal in particular, on the global map," he said.