India and South Africa deepen trade, education ties at BRICS 2026 meeting in Jaipur

Indian Education Minister Prahlad Joshi met South Africa’s basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube and higher‑education minister Dr Nomusa Dube‑Ncube in Jaipur, discussing cooperation on primary and higher education, skill development, research, innovation and digital learning. Joshi also held bilateral talks with Indonesia’s higher‑education minister Brian Yuliarto and Iran’s acting science minister Prof Masood Shams‑Baksh during the BRICS education senior officials meeting.

At the same BRICS 2026 Trade Ministers’ Meeting, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met South Africa’s trade minister Parks Tau to revive a preferential trade agreement between India and the Southern African Customs Union, focusing on critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing and aiming to sign the Terms of Reference soon. Goyal also held separate bilateral meetings with Brazil’s industry minister Marcio Fernando Elias Rosa and Egypt’s industry minister Khaled Hashem Ali Maher, exploring deeper trade, investment and sectoral cooperation in agriculture, energy and pharma. The gatherings underscored India’s push to diversify supply chains, expand manufacturing and strengthen economic ties with African and other BRICS partners.