India to Host 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on Oct 26-27

New Delhi, October 25: India is set to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on October 26 and 27, and preparations are now underway in the capital. Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, has already arrived in New Delhi to attend the event.

The Indian Parliament will preside over the forum at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan on Monday and Tuesday. The gathering will bring together parliamentary leaders from BRICS member countries and partner nations to discuss development that serves the public and ways to strengthen cooperation among legislatures.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla first announced the dates earlier this week. Addressing a press conference at Parliament House, he said the forum would open a new chapter in India's parliamentary diplomacy.

According to Birla, the forum will be attended by parliamentary speakers from BRICS and partner countries, parliamentary leaders, Union ministers, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, speakers of state assemblies, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to take part in the programme and meet the heads of visiting delegations, the Speaker said.

The agenda includes bilateral and multilateral meetings with delegation leaders and parliamentary friendship groups. On October 25, a meeting of delegation secretaries will be held to finalise the joint statement of the forum.

Birla said suggestions had been received from 18 countries and that these would form the basis of the discussions. He also highlighted India's new initiative of forming parliamentary friendship groups with 64 countries, a broad effort undertaken for the first time. These groups are being extended to other countries where India already has friendship forums with partner parliaments.

The forum's central theme is 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centred Development.' Under this theme, participants will consider how legislatures can make a larger contribution to improving citizens' lives and making development more effective.