Ludhiana, January 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has entered a significant new phase of global academic engagement with its formal inclusion in the BRICS Network University under the thematic area of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.
The development places PAU among a select group of institutions from BRICS countries that will collectively shape multilateral research, education and innovation frameworks aimed at addressing some of the world’s most urgent agri-food challenges.
The expansion of the BRICS Network University was approved by the BRICS International Governing Board in May 2025, leading to the creation of new thematic clusters, including Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.
In India’s case, two institutions were identified for each thematic group. PAU was shortlisted for this domain in recognition of its national standing and long-term contributions to agricultural science and rural livelihoods.
Notably, PAU is the only agricultural university from the country to be selected in the network, while the Indian Agricultural Research Institute represents the institute category, placing PAU in a distinct leadership position within the consortium.
This recognition gains added significance as India prepares to assume the rotating BRICS Chairmanship in 2026, with the presidency logo having been unveiled recently.
At a meeting convened by the International Cooperation Cell of the Department of Higher Education in December 2025, participating Indian universities were encouraged to proactively host and design collaborative academic activities under their assigned thematic areas. In response, PAU plans to hold structured meetings, joint academic sessions and collaborative engagements with participating agricultural universities of the BRICS Network, both online and in person.
These interactions may be organised independently or alongside its Kisan Melas, the university’s one-of-a-kind farmer fairs that draw over one lakh visitors to the campus within two days. Together, these platforms will enable focused deliberations among faculty members and domain experts to shape joint research programmes, mobility frameworks and extension-led initiatives with cross-national relevance.
PAU’s entry into BRICS-NU builds on a legacy that has shaped India’s agrarian transformation for over six decades. Widely described as the cradle of the Green Revolution, the university has released more than 970 crop varieties and pioneered crop management practices, environmental control technologies, and soil and water conservation strategies that have left a lasting socio-economic imprint across farming regions.
Its work has directly contributed to stabilising food supplies and improving farm incomes, reinforcing its role as a national resource institution.
The Ministry of Education’s National Institutional Ranking Framework has placed PAU first among all State Agricultural Universities for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025, further strengthening its credentials for global engagement.
Alongside this academic performance, the university has steadily expanded its international footprint through structured dialogues, bilateral research partnerships, and participatory development initiatives.
Within the BRICS-NU framework, thematic groups function as interdisciplinary hubs for joint courses, collaborative research, and student and faculty mobility.
The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security cluster includes leading universities and research institutions across BRICS and partner nations, creating opportunities for comparative studies on climate-resilient farming, sustainable food systems, and resource conservation practices.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal has conveyed that PAU’s inclusion in the network reflects global confidence in Indian agricultural science and in the university’s ability to convert research into field-level impact.
He has emphasised that the BRICS platform offers an avenue to co-create solutions for food security, climate adaptation and sustainable livelihoods by pooling expertise across diverse agro-ecological regions. He has also indicated that PAU will prioritise actionable partnerships that can benefit farmers, researchers and students across participating countries.
The university has designated Dr Vishal Bector, Associate Director for Institutional Relations, as its official Point of Contact for BRICS-NU activities. He will coordinate academic exchanges, joint proposals, and communication with partner institutions under the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security thematic group.
With India preparing to steer BRICS in 2026, PAU’s leadership role within this multilateral academic alliance positions it to shape the future of sustainable agriculture discourse and practice across emerging economies. The upcoming engagements are expected to mark the beginning of a new cycle of international collaboration rooted in scientific rigour, field relevance, and shared development priorities.
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