Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized on Tuesday that India’s newly formed Parliamentary Friendship Groups with over 60 countries will play a crucial role in intensifying bilateral relationships and elevating parliamentary diplomacy to the heart of foreign policy.
Under Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s leadership, these 64 groups represent a strategic expansion of India’s international outreach. Designed to support conventional diplomatic channels, they prioritize ongoing legislative exchanges to build robust global partnerships.
Rijiju shared on social media platform X that this development stems from PM Narendra Modi’s directive following Operation Sindoor’s triumph. The groups, now active with nations across continents, underscore India’s commitment to democratic linkages worldwide.
Prominent MPs like Akhilesh Yadav, Asaduddin Owaisi, Hema Malini, and Anurag Singh Thakur will head these panels, ensuring cross-party representation. Initial countries encompass Sri Lanka, Germany, South Africa, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and more, with ambitions for broader inclusion.
Focused on lawmaker dialogues, these forums will facilitate experience-sharing, best practice adoption, and deliberations on trade, tech, culture, and shared democratic hurdles. Through study tours and collaborative sessions, they aim to cultivate trust and enhance comprehension.
Rooted in post-Operation Sindoor multi-party delegations that unified India’s voice overseas, this framework cements a participatory foreign policy. Birla’s advocacy for parliamentary diplomacy has long aimed to position India’s legislature as an active global player.
Emphasizing people-to-people and institution-to-institution bonds beyond partisan divides, the groups highlight India’s democratic resilience. They serve as essential conduits for cooperation, vital in today’s interdependent global landscape.