The meeting took place on August 4-5 in Hyderabad, India, bringing together representatives of anti-corruption and law enforcement authorities, financial intelligence units, and relevant experts from BRICS countries. The second meeting of the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery took place in parallel.
One of the key initiatives was India’s proposal to establish the BRICS Network of Law-Enforcement Practitioners for Enhancing International Cooperation on Fugitive Offenders Sought for Corruption and Supporting Extradition.
Participants discussed the network’s objectives, scope of activities, and possible modalities of operation and generally supported the initiative. The mechanism is expected to enable more efficient informal cooperation between competent authorities in locating fugitives and to complement existing mutual legal assistance and extradition procedures.
At the same time, BRICS countries are developing other instruments for direct cooperation between competent authorities. In particular, participants supported the creation of the BRICS Repository on Informal Cooperation, which is expected to consolidate information on national practices and existing channels of informal cooperation, as well as the use of a Directory of Focal Points and Experts. The directory is expected to be regularly updated and expanded to include relevant experts from BRICS countries.
Additional cooperation mechanisms were discussed within the BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery. Its participants agreed on standardized forms for exchanging information between competent authorities at the preliminary stages of investigations. Such exchanges are intended to facilitate the timely identification and tracing of assets before formal mutual legal assistance procedures are initiated.
Another area of discussion was the use of modern technologies to prevent and detect corruption. Participants considered the potential of digital procurement systems, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics to identify corruption risks, including in real time.
A separate thematic session focused on the risks associated with the use of financial technologies and virtual assets to conceal and launder proceeds of corruption. BRICS representatives discussed the exchange of information on emerging schemes and supervisory practices, cooperation between financial intelligence units, and cross-border information exchange concerning illicit financial flows.
Work on developing practical mechanisms for anti-corruption cooperation is continuing under India’s BRICS chairship. At the first meeting of the Anti-Corruption Working Group in June 2026, BRICS countries identified asset recovery, combating transnational corruption, and strengthening international cooperation among their priorities. At that meeting, experts also began discussing a directory of focal points and standardized forms for information exchange.
