In a move that underscores the growing global recognition of mental health as a critical area of public health priority, India has selected the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) as the nodal body for its BRICS Centres of Excellence initiative focused on mental wellness.
The BRICS grouping — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and later expanded members — has been working toward creating thematic Centres of Excellence across various sectors in recent years. These centres aim to foster research collaboration, capacity building, and knowledge exchange among member countries on issues of shared concern.
NIMHANS, located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, is one of India's premier institutions dedicated to mental health care, research, education, and training. Established in 1974, it operates as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and is widely regarded as one of the top mental health institutions in Asia. Its designation as the nodal body signals that mental wellness will have a dedicated institutional home within India's BRICS engagement framework.
While details on the exact functions, funding structure, and timeline for these centres remain under elaboration, the nodal appointment is expected to kickstart consultations among BRICS partners on how best to tackle the rising burden of mental health disorders across the member nations.
Mental health conditions affect hundreds of millions of people across the BRICS countries, yet access to quality care, trained professionals, and evidence-based treatment remains starkly uneven. The World Health Organization estimates that India alone has a significant treatment gap for mental illness, with only a fraction of affected individuals receiving adequate care. Similar challenges exist in other BRICS nations, making this collaborative platform particularly relevant.
Experts say the move could pave the way for joint research initiatives, cross-border training programs for mental health professionals, shared data repositories, and perhaps even harmonised policy approaches to mental health care delivery within the bloc.
The announcement comes at a time when post-pandemic mental health concerns have surged worldwide, putting additional pressure on health systems across emerging economies to strengthen their psychiatric and psychological services.
It is not yet clear whether each BRICS member will establish parallel centres in their respective countries or if NIMHANS will serve as the sole coordinating node for this particular theme. However, the move is being seen as a positive step toward institutionalising mental health cooperation within one of the world's most influential intergovernmental forums.
