Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari called on the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) nations to strengthen cooperation in building sustainable, resilient, inclusive and future-ready transport systems, saying the expanded grouping has the potential to shape the future of global mobility through innovation, technology and shared responsibility. He made the remarks while addressing the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting , hosted under India's BRICS Chairship 2026 .
Welcoming transport ministers, delegation heads and senior officials, Gadkari said India's Chairship theme, "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," reflects the philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" or "The World is One Family." He noted that BRICS, representing nearly half of the world's population and accounting for a significant share of global GDP and trade, is uniquely positioned to lead the development of cleaner, safer and smarter transport systems while promoting sustainable economic growth and stronger regional connectivity.
The minister highlighted common challenges confronting emerging economies, including infrastructure financing, traffic congestion, emissions, road safety and last-mile connectivity , stressing that these issues require collective solutions. He reaffirmed India's commitment to deeper collaboration through knowledge sharing, capacity building, joint research and technological cooperation in areas such as green hydrogen, electric mobility, alternative fuels, digital transport systems and sustainable multimodal infrastructure .
Emphasising that transport is the backbone of economic development, Gadkari showcased India's rapid infrastructure transformation. He said the country has developed the world's second-largest road network , significantly expanded access-controlled expressways and strengthened multimodal connectivity through the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) , which has emerged as a successful framework for attracting private investment in infrastructure.
Highlighting achievements in the railway sector, Gadkari said Indian Railways has witnessed near-complete electrification of its broad-gauge network, expansion of Vande Bharat train services, continued progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor , and landmark engineering feats such as the new Pamban Bridge . In the maritime sector, he pointed to the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 , digital initiatives including e-Navik and e-Samudra , and the Green Shipping Initiative as major steps towards improving logistics efficiency, port connectivity and environmental sustainability.
The ministerial meeting followed deliberations by the 3rd BRICS Transport Working Group , where officials discussed priorities including sustainable transport infrastructure, resilient logistics, multimodal connectivity, transport digitalisation, smart urban mobility, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), transport decarbonisation and railway research . India also presented six priority initiatives aimed at strengthening technical cooperation, innovation, institutional partnerships and capacity building among member nations to accelerate the transition towards cleaner and more efficient transport systems.
The two-day meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint resolution to deepen cooperation on sustainable transport, clean mobility, logistics resilience and future-ready connectivity. Delegations from all BRICS member countries participated in discussions focused on strengthening supply chains, reducing logistics costs and promoting technology sharing through joint research and policy coordination. The outcomes of the meeting are expected to reinforce BRICS' role in building a more connected, climate-resilient and efficient global transport ecosystem while advancing inclusive economic growth across the grouping.
The Morning Voice
