Nagpur: After three days of ministerial talks, closed-door negotiations and bilateral engagements, the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Nagpur ended with a distinct Vidarbha touch, as a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials from BRICS countries visited Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) on Sunday and enjoyed multiple tiger sightings during their safari.TATR Field Director Prabhu Nath Shukla told TOI that over 20 safari vehicles were deployed from the Kolara, Madnapur and Belara buffer gates for the 70-member delegation.“Foreign delegates entered the reserve through the Madnapur gate, while the remaining delegates undertook safaris through the Belara and Kolara gates. During the morning safari, delegates from Russia and Ethiopia sighted the well-known tiger T-178 along with a sub-adult offspring of T-82. In the evening safari, delegates from South Africa, Egypt and Iran recorded sightings of T-178, a sub-adult of T-82 and a sub-adult of TN-9,” he said.Besides tiger sightings, the delegates also observed a rich diversity of wildlife, including chital, sambar, Indian gaur, wild boar and numerous bird species amid the lush green forests rejuvenated by monsoon rains. The delegates appreciated the safari experience and commended the scientific management and conservation practices adopted by the reserve, as per the press note.The Tadoba visit came after the conclusion of the four-day BRICS transport programme in Nagpur, which brought ministers, senior officials and technical experts from member countries to the city under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.As per an official statement, the summit formally concluded with the unanimous adoption of the BRICS Ministerial Declaration at the transport ministers’ meeting held on July 11. The declaration was finalised after two days of discussions at the 3rd BRICS Transport Working Group Senior Officials’ Meeting on July 9 and 10.The declaration outlined a shared framework for cooperation across key transport priorities, including circularity in infrastructure, sustainable aviation fuel, transport decarbonisation, urban mobility hubs, logistics and supply chain cooperation, and the BRICS Railway Research Network, as per the official statement.Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, who was present at the meeting, thanked delegations from member countries for their support in ensuring a successful outcome, the statement said.India also expressed appreciation for the constructive engagement of all participating countries and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a smooth transition of the initiatives to the next BRICS chairship.At Tadoba, the delegates were also given first-hand exposure to the reserve’s conservation initiatives, including habitat management, anti-poaching measures and community-based conservation practices. Many delegates described the wildlife experience as unforgettable, further reinforcing Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve’s standing as one of India’s premier destinations for tiger conservation and responsible wildlife tourism, officials said.The visit was coordinated by the leadership and field staff of TATR. Along with Field Director Shukla, Deputy Director Vishal Mali led the reserve team. They were supported by assistant conservators of forests S S Dube, Sanket Wathore and Vivek Natu, along with range forest officers of Palsagaon and Kolara ranges and other field personnel, who ensured logistics, visitor safety protocols and informative interpretation throughout the visit.
