The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will begin on Monday, October 26, at the Parliament House Complex in New Delhi. India is hosting the two-day gathering of parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries to discuss ways to strengthen legislative cooperation and promote people-centric development.
The forum, scheduled for October 26-27, will be held under the theme, “Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the inaugural programme and interact with heads of visiting parliamentary delegations.
Ahead of the event, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held bilateral meetings with several visiting parliamentary leaders, including Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of Russia’s State Duma.
Om Birla Holds Talks with Russian Duma Chairman
During the meeting, Birla discussed ways to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between India and Russia. The discussions focused on regular exchanges among lawmakers and greater engagement at multilateral forums, including BRICS.
Both leaders discussed cooperation in international forums, joint efforts to combat terrorism and the need for a coordinated global response to the threat. Birla welcomed Russia’s continued support for India’s fight against terrorism.
Birla also reiterated India’s demand for reforms to the United Nations Security Council and thanked Russia for supporting India’s bid for permanent membership.
The two sides explored opportunities to expand cooperation in nuclear energy, industry, trade and agriculture. Volodin emphasised the need to encourage joint business ventures and address barriers to bilateral trade and investment. Cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties were also part of the discussions.
India and Russia are scheduled to mark 80 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Focus on Technology and Parliamentary Exchanges
Birla called for stronger institutional engagement between the Lok Sabha and the Russian State Duma, including regular meetings of the India-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Commission.
He also highlighted the importance of exchanges involving young and women parliamentarians to strengthen engagement between the two legislatures.
Another key topic was using technology to improve parliamentary functioning. Birla highlighted India’s Sansad Bhashini initiative, which aims to make parliamentary proceedings more accessible and citizen-centric.
Four Key Themes to Guide Forum Discussions
The forum will focus on people-centric development and cooperation among legislatures to address global challenges, including terrorism and climate change.
The agenda includes four high-level sessions covering Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability. Discussions will address institutional resilience, the human-centred use of artificial intelligence and digital technology, global governance reforms and sustainable development.
A special meeting of chairpersons of international affairs committees from BRICS member and partner countries will focus on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and the exchange of best practices.
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Birla Meets Delegations from Cuba, Egypt and Belarus
Ahead of the forum, Birla also met parliamentary delegations from Cuba, Egypt and Belarus.
The two-day programme will include plenary sessions, bilateral meetings, parliamentary exchanges and a cultural programme. The Vice-President of India will host a banquet for the visiting delegates.
The forum will conclude on October 27, following discussions on strengthening parliamentary cooperation and addressing shared global and development challenges.