India on Tuesday called for stronger international cooperation among BRICS nations to tackle cross-border corruption, trace fugitive offenders, support extradition efforts, recover stolen assets and prevent the movement of illicit funds across jurisdictions. The appeal was made during the inaugural session of the two-day BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) meeting held in Hyderabad.

Rachna Shah, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India, said corruption continues to be a significant barrier to sustainable and inclusive development. She noted that corrupt practices divert public resources away from essential sectors such as healthcare, education and infrastructure while weakening public confidence in governance systems.

Emphasising that no country is immune from corruption and that no nation can address the issue independently, Shah called for coordinated and sustained global efforts. She said BRICS must convert its shared commitment to combating corruption into practical cooperation, including better information exchange, stronger law-enforcement coordination and improved mechanisms to prevent illicit financial flows.

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Shah highlighted the growing challenge posed by fugitive economic offenders and stressed that no jurisdiction should become a safe haven for individuals who benefit from corruption-related crimes. She welcomed progress on the BRICS repository for informal cooperation in tracing fugitives and supporting extradition, as well as the operationalisation of the BRICS expert network on asset recovery.

The secretary also underlined the importance of technology in strengthening transparency and preventing corruption risks. She cited initiatives such as the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), digital payments, electronic service delivery, faceless taxation systems and data-driven monitoring as examples of technology-led reforms aimed at reducing leakages and improving accountability.

The two-day BRICS ACWG meeting includes discussions on ethical governance through innovation and technology-driven systems, along with emerging risks linked to financial technology (FinTech) and virtual digital assets (VDAs) in concealing and laundering proceeds of corruption. BRICS ACWG Chair J Ashok Kumar welcomed participating delegations and said the group’s recent efforts reflected a shared commitment to developing practical tools for stronger anti-corruption cooperation among member countries.

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