The Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI) has appointed Dr Eluri Sreedhar as Honorary Advisor and Yogesh Sharma (Shelly) as National Advisor in New Delhi in mid-August 2026. The appointment letters were presented by Chairman Sameep Shastri, who leads the chamber for the term 2026 to 2029. The move strengthens the chamber’s work on entrepreneurship, youth development and international cooperation at a time when BRICS, the grouping of emerging economies backed by the New Development Bank (NDB) in Shanghai, is drawing record public interest across India.
What Is BRICS and What Is the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry?
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the five original members of a grouping that is now a wider platform of emerging economies. The term BRIC was first coined in 2001 by economist Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs to describe four fast growing economies. The grouping took formal shape when foreign ministers began meeting in 2006 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and the first BRIC summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009. South Africa was invited by China and joined in December 2010, after which the name became BRICS.
The grouping expanded again after the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in August 2023. From 1 January 2024, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined as full members, and Indonesia joined in January 2025 as the first Southeast Asian member, taking membership to ten countries. The expanded format is often referred to as BRICS Plus or BRICS+. The grouping has no founding treaty, secretariat or permanent headquarters. It works through a rotating annual chairship, with the chair country setting the agenda and hosting the annual summit and more than 200 sectoral meetings.
BRICS CCI stands for the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry. It is important not to confuse the intergovernmental BRICS grouping with the chamber that supports commerce among its members. The BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization founded in 2012 with the efforts of professionals, entrepreneurs and industrialists. It is headquartered in New Delhi at A-2/8, Safdarjung Enclave, and maintains country offices in Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. It is a registered body under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, is empanelled with NITI Aayog, the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India established in 2015 and headquartered in New Delhi, and is recognized by the United Nations.
A chamber of commerce, in simple terms, is a network that helps businesses connect, trade and grow. The BRICS CCI does this for the BRICS and BRICS+ nations. Its stated objective is to create an enabling support system especially for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), young entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs and start-ups, while also engaging large industry. It promotes commerce and industry through forums, networking, business delegations, policy dialogue and cooperation agreements, and describes itself as a bridge for economic synergy among BRICS+ nations.
On 17 July 2025, the chamber marked its 13th Foundation Day, and on 28 July 2026 it celebrated 14 years of operations in New Delhi, noting its growth in members, chapters and partnerships over the past decade. Leadership for the current phase was confirmed at the 14th Annual General Meeting on 18 May 2026 in New Delhi. Sameep Shastri, who had served as Vice Chairman for six years and is the grandson of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, assumed office as Chairman for the term April 2026 to March 2029, with Atul Banshal and Shabana Nasim as Vice Chairpersons, Prann Sharma as Director General and Ruhail Ranjan as Director Finance.
Who Are the New Appointees to BRICS CCI?
The two appointments were announced together in New Delhi in mid-August 2026, with formal letters handed over on 17 August 2026 by Chairman Sameep Shastri. While both join the advisory council, their designations and focus areas are distinct, one as Honorary Advisor and the other as National Advisor.
Dr Eluri Sreedhar Appointed Honorary Advisor
Dr Eluri Sreedhar has been appointed as Honorary Advisor to the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The appointment recognizes his experience in social development, entrepreneurship, community empowerment and inclusive growth. Media reports describe him as an educator, technocrat and enterprise strategist who has worked on self-employment, livelihood creation and economic empowerment, including engagement with government stakeholders and programmes aimed at creating sustainable opportunities for individuals and communities.
In his comments after the appointment, Dr Sreedhar said he sees the responsibility not merely as a position but as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society, with an emphasis on sustainable opportunities, inclusion, empowerment through sport and self-employment, and building partnerships that create tangible outcomes for communities. The chamber noted that his advisory role will add perspective on social impact and entrepreneurship to its economic cooperation agenda. He is based in Delhi and is listed in professional circles with a background in operations and community initiatives.
Yogesh Sharma (Shelly) Appointed National Advisor
Yogesh Sharma (Shelly) has been appointed as National Advisor to the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The chamber linked the appointment to his work in sports administration, youth development and international engagement.
Sharma has been active in sports development, athlete development, talent identification and athlete welfare, with a focus on creating structured opportunities for young sporting talent. Earlier in February 2025, he was appointed as Director of Para Athlete Development and Special Programs, India Para Powerlifting, a unit of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), with the appointment letter issued by JP Singh, Chairman of India Para Powerlifting, in the presence of Satya Prakash Sangwan, Vice President of the PCI. In that role he helped open a new para powerlifting office in Samana, Patiala, Punjab, intended as a hub for training and guidance for para athletes from nearby districts and states.
As National Advisor to BRICS CCI, Sharma is associated with initiatives on youth empowerment, sports promotion, entrepreneurship and cross-border collaboration, and has been part of various national and international platforms linked to youth and sport. He said the appointment is both an honour and a responsibility and expressed commitment to strengthening international cooperation and creating more opportunities for youth.
What Will the New Advisors Do?
Advisors in a chamber like BRICS CCI do not handle day to day administration, which rests with the governing body and directorate. They provide guidance, networks and domain expertise to help shape programmes and partnerships.
As Honorary Advisor, Dr Eluri Sreedhar is expected to contribute to initiatives related to economic collaboration, strategic partnerships and inclusive development. His brief includes supporting programmes that link entrepreneurship and self-employment with community outcomes, helping the chamber design interventions that are commercially viable and socially inclusive, and facilitating engagement with institutions working on livelihoods and skill development.
As National Advisor, Yogesh Sharma (Shelly) will work on strengthening institutional and international collaborations and supporting initiatives aimed at empowering youth, promoting sports development and expanding international engagement among BRICS nations. The chamber’s letter to him specifically mentioned youth development, sports promotion and international cooperation. In practice this is likely to mean coordinating youth and sports related tracks, connecting sporting bodies and youth networks across BRICS members, and supporting entrepreneurship opportunities that emerge from those contacts, including people to people exchanges.
Both roles are aligned with the chamber’s wider mandate to support MSMEs, start-ups and young and women entrepreneurs. Advisors often act as convenors for working groups, mentors for delegations, and connectors to government, business and civil society partners, helping the chamber move from dialogue to partnerships that can be implemented across geographies.
Why Is BRICS Important and How Does It Work?
Why was BRICS formed and why is it important for India? BRICS was formed to give emerging economies a stronger voice in global governance and to provide alternatives to Western dominated financial institutions. For India, it offers a platform to advance the interests of the Global South, access new markets and finance, and shape rules on trade, technology and climate without binding treaty commitments.
The grouping began as an economic concept and became a diplomatic platform. After the 2008 global financial crisis, BRIC foreign ministers met in May 2008 and leaders held their first summit in 2009. The members shared a common view that institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) did not reflect the weight of developing economies, and that new mechanisms were needed to fund infrastructure and provide emergency support.
How BRICS works is simple in design. It is not a formal treaty organisation with a charter. It functions as a consultative grouping coordinated through the annual summit, ministerial meetings and working groups across three pillars: political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people to people cooperation. The rotating chair sets the calendar and hosts several hundred meetings during its year. Decisions are made by consensus, and implementation relies on voluntary cooperation among members.
Two financial institutions give BRICS concrete substance.
| Institution | What It Is | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| New Development Bank (NDB), often searched as BRICS Bank | A multilateral development bank that funds infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries | Agreement signed at the 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil on 15 July 2014, entered into force in July 2015, headquartered in Shanghai, China with regional offices in Johannesburg, New Delhi, Moscow and Sao Paulo. Authorised capital $100 billion, subscribed capital $50 billion including $10 billion paid-in capital equally contributed by the five founders. By 2023 to 2024 it had approved more than $32 billion for 96 projects. Current President is Dilma Rousseff, former President of Brazil. Members now include Bangladesh, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay admitted in 2021, and later Algeria. |
| Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) | An emergency reserve pool to provide support during balance of payments difficulties, similar in purpose to the IMF | Size $100 billion. Contributions: China $41 billion, Brazil, India and Russia $18 billion each, South Africa $5 billion |
Questions about BRICS currency, BRICS Pay and de-dollarisation appear frequently in search. BRICS leaders have discussed greater use of local currencies in trade settlement and cooperation on payment systems as alternatives to SWIFT, and the NDB now lends in both US dollars and local currencies. No common BRICS currency has been launched, and no timetable has been agreed.
For India, the practical value lies in market access through business councils, technology cooperation on digital public infrastructure, and development finance that complements traditional lenders, while keeping strategic autonomy in a multipolar order.
BRICS Compared with G7, G20 and SCO
Search interest in BRICS vs G7, BRICS vs NATO, BRICS vs SCO, BRICS vs G20 and BRICS vs SAARC is high because these groupings overlap in members and agenda but differ in purpose. A clear comparison helps to place BRICS CCI’s role in context.
| Grouping | Full Form and Members | Nature and Focus |
|---|---|---|
| BRICS | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Indonesia (10 members in 2026) | Cross-regional platform of emerging economies for economic, financial, environmental and technology cooperation. Seeks multipolarity and greater voice for the Global South. No permanent secretariat, summit driven, rotating chair |
| G7 | Group of Seven: United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada plus European Union as participant | Club of advanced economies focusing on economic policy, security and climate. Smaller and more homogeneous, founded in 1975 |
| G20 | Group of Twenty: 19 countries plus EU and African Union (AU), including all BRICS founders and G7 members. India chaired in 2023 | Premier forum for international economic cooperation that mixes advanced and emerging economies. AU joined as 21st member in September 2023 |
| SCO | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus. Secretariat in Beijing, founded in 2001 | Eurasian regional grouping focused on security, counter terrorism, connectivity and trade |
| SAARC | South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Secretariat in Kathmandu, founded in 1985 | South Asian regional integration for economic and social cooperation. Summit process has been stalled since 2014 |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization: 32 members led by the United States. Founded in 1949 | Collective defence alliance with a mutual defence clause. BRICS has no defence pact |
| NDB vs World Bank | NDB is the BRICS bank. World Bank is the Bretton Woods institution founded in 1944, headquartered in Washington D.C. | NDB focuses on emerging economies with equal voting among founders, while the World Bank has weighted voting based on financial contributions |
In simple terms, BRICS is not a military alliance like NATO and not a universal economic steering group like the G20. It is a voice for emerging economies that wants to reform global rules rather than replace them outright. Comparisons of BRICS vs G7 GDP often note that BRICS now exceeds the G7 on a purchasing power parity basis, while the G7 remains ahead on nominal GDP. The chamber, BRICS CCI, sits within this landscape as a business-facing track that translates governmental dialogue into trade, investment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The Way Forward
With the new advisors in place, BRICS CCI is expected to deepen its programming in the run up to the next BRICS Summit and the ongoing calendar of business forums, youth leadership dialogues and women empowerment summits. For Dr Eluri Sreedhar, the immediate contribution will lie in linking inclusion and entrepreneurship to the chamber’s economic agenda, including support for MSMEs and start-ups seeking cross border partnerships in skills, self-employment and community enterprise. For Yogesh Sharma, the focus will be on building youth and sports pathways that connect talent, coaching and exchange opportunities across BRICS members, an area that has gained visibility through the chamber’s Youth Leadership Dialogue and BRICS CCI WE (Women Empowerment) verticals.
Under Chairman Sameep Shastri’s term to March 2029, the chamber aims to expand chapters, grow its membership base and sign new strategic cooperation agreements. The broader context supports this push. India’s active role in BRICS, the expanded ten-member composition, and the operational track record of the New Development Bank create more entry points for businesses beyond the original five economies. If the advisory appointments help convert dialogue into mentorship, deal flow and joint initiatives in entrepreneurship, youth and sports, the chamber will strengthen its claim as a practical bridge among BRICS+ economies.
Key Takeaways
- The BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI) appointed Dr Eluri Sreedhar as Honorary Advisor and Yogesh Sharma (Shelly) as National Advisor in New Delhi in mid-August 2026.
- Appointment letters were presented by Chairman Sameep Shastri, who leads BRICS CCI for the term April 2026 to March 2029 following the 14th Annual General Meeting on 18 May 2026.
- BRICS CCI is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2012, headquartered in New Delhi at Safdarjung Enclave, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, empanelled with NITI Aayog and recognized by the United Nations.
- BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, formed as BRIC after a 2001 concept by economist Jim O’Neill, with the first summit in Yekaterinburg in 2009 and South Africa joining in December 2010, later expanding to ten members with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE in 2024 and Indonesia in 2025.
- The New Development Bank (NDB), the BRICS Bank, was established by agreement signed on 15 July 2014 in Fortaleza, entered into force in July 2015, and is headquartered in Shanghai, China with $100 billion authorised capital.
- As Honorary Advisor, Dr Eluri Sreedhar will contribute on economic collaboration, strategic partnerships and inclusive development, while Yogesh Sharma as National Advisor will focus on youth development, sports promotion, entrepreneurship and international cooperation.
