Tehran has hosted the fourth meeting of the BRICS working group on geospatial technologies and their applications, bringing together member states and partners to strengthen collaboration in one of the fastest-growing technology sectors.
The two-day event, held online from September 30 to October 1, included representatives from Brazil, China, Russia, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, according to Mehr news agency.
Organized with the support of leading Iranian institutions—including the Mapping Organization, the Space Research Institute, the Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization, and top universities—the meeting highlighted Iran’s scientific capabilities and commitment to technological cooperation within the BRICS framework.
The first day focused on sharing national capacities and identifying new opportunities for partnership. On the second day, participants explored joint applications of geospatial data, including environmental monitoring, urban planning, transportation systems, and security.
The discussions will be formalized in a multilateral cooperation document that sets the agenda for joint projects over the coming year, with progress to be reviewed in the next session.
Iranian officials used the platform to promote their proposals for a BRICS Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). Ali Javidaneh, former director general of the National Cartographic Center of Iran, emphasized the importance of data-driven governance.
“Maps and spatial data are critical tools in the sustainable development of communities, which provide the information needed for informed decision-making, effective planning, and economic growth,” he said, stressing that the BRICS SDI initiative has strong potential to unify efforts across member states.
The Tehran meeting builds on momentum from last year’s gathering in Moscow and reflects BRICS’ broader push to expand cooperation beyond economics into scientific and technological domains.
Geospatial technologies—such as remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and GPS—are already transforming multiple sectors. When combined with artificial intelligence, deep learning, and big data analytics, these tools have applications ranging from environmental protection and agriculture to navigation, communications, and military planning.
By positioning itself at the center of these discussions, Iran is signaling its growing role in BRICS’ strategic technology initiatives. As the group expands to include new members, collaboration in advanced digital and geospatial technologies is expected to become a cornerstone of its long-term cooperation agenda.
