NEW DELHI — India is set to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at Samvidhan Sadan on October 26 and 27, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing confidence that participating nations will adopt a unified joint declaration targeting cross-border terrorism, technological governance, and sustainable development.
Under India’s chairship, the two-day summit will bring together legislative heads, presiding officers, and parliamentary delegations across member and partner states to strengthen inter-parliamentary diplomacy and global institutional frameworks.
Key Takeaways
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Assembly at Samvidhan Sadan: The Indian Parliament will convene presiding officers and legislative leaders from BRICS member and partner nations in New Delhi on October 26–27.
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Firm Counter-Terrorism Priority: Speaker Om Birla emphasized zero tolerance toward cross-border terrorism as a core pillar of the upcoming multilateral dialogue.
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Core Agenda and Theme: Centered on “Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development,” discussions will focus on institutional resilience, digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence standards, and inclusive growth.
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High-Level Bilateral Engagements: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with delegation heads, while Speaker Birla will preside over plenary sessions and conduct bilateral meetings, including talks with visiting Russian representatives.
Multilateral Dialogue and Shared Consensus
Addressing press corps at Parliament House, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla highlighted the crucial role of legislative assemblies in bridging geopolitical divisions and fostering regional security:
“India’s Parliament holds discussions and engages in dialogue with all countries to build consensus. I hope that, with the agreement of all countries, there will be a joint declaration at the BRICS Parliamentary Forum as well… Terrorism is a serious challenge for the world. India’s position has consistently been against terrorism, and we have always condemned it at every level.”
Ahead of the main plenary sessions, a preliminary meeting of delegation secretaries is scheduled for October 25 to finalize the draft joint statement and align procedural protocols.
Exchange of Legislative Practices and Capacity Building
Beyond security and global governance, the forum will serve as a platform for evaluating comparative parliamentary mechanisms, digital legislative tools, and policy frameworks across member states.
Highlighting ongoing initiatives to enhance democratic accountability in India, Birla noted that studying international legislative working days, committee structures, and policymaking frameworks strengthens national governance:
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Institutional Resilience: Sharing structural frameworks to enhance legislative transparency and public responsiveness.
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Digital Integration and AI: Establishing human-centered, ethical guidelines for integrating artificial intelligence into parliamentary operations.
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Bilateral Cooperation: Facilitating direct inter-parliamentary exchanges, including dedicated meetings with the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group to deepen legislative ties.
