Om Birla Hopes For Consensus On Joint Declaration At BRICS Parliamentary Meet

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has expressed hope that the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will adopt a joint declaration by consensus, drawing a parallel with the declaration issued at the BRICS summit in Brazil despite differences among member countries. The two-day forum will be held at Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi on October 26 and 27.

Responding to a question on whether the parliamentary forum could reach a similar agreement, Birla said India would engage with participating countries to build consensus on shared issues.

"India's Parliament also 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," he said.

The possibility of a joint declaration is expected to be a key focus of the gathering, which will bring together parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries to discuss common challenges and strengthen cooperation between legislatures.

Terrorism A Key Issue

Birla said terrorism remained a serious global challenge and expressed hope that the issue would receive particular attention during the forum.

"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. I hope there will be a detailed discussion on this issue within BRICS as well. Terrorism must end in every country," he said.

He noted that terrorism, climate change and other cross-border challenges regularly feature in discussions among parliaments around the world. He also referred to the inclusion of such issues in joint declarations issued at international summits.

PM Modi To Meet Visiting Delegations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the event and meet leaders of the visiting delegations, according to details released by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Birla, who will chair the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, will preside over the proceedings, hold bilateral meetings with visiting parliamentary leaders and deliver the valedictory address.

The overarching theme of the forum is "Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development". Deliberations will focus on institutional resilience, the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, parliamentary cooperation for global governance, and sustainable and inclusive development.

The two-day event will bring together presiding officers, parliamentarians, Union ministers, members of state legislatures and other dignitaries from BRICS member and partner countries.

India Looks To Strengthen Parliamentary Practices

Birla said parliaments have an important role in making democratic institutions more accountable, transparent and responsive to citizens. He also emphasised the need for greater discussion and dialogue within legislatures.

He said the Indian Parliament has undertaken efforts to strengthen parliamentary capacity and study practices followed by legislatures across the world, including their working days, legislative processes and policymaking methods.

The objective, he said, was to bring these practices onto a common platform and identify approaches that could be adopted in India, taking into account the political circumstances and institutional arrangements of different countries.

Birla expressed hope that the exchange of experiences at the BRICS forum would help participating countries learn from one another and adopt effective parliamentary practices suited to their respective systems.

Russian Delegation To Hold Bilateral Meetings

Welcoming the Russian delegation, Birla said a bilateral meeting would be held with its members, along with a meeting of the India Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

He expressed hope that Russia's parliamentary experience and participation in international parliamentary forums would contribute to the discussions and help strengthen cooperation between the two countries' legislatures.

Birla also underlined the importance of parliamentary dialogue in addressing global challenges, saying international cooperation among legislatures could help identify solutions and guide governments on issues of common concern.

Joint Statement Before Forum

According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, a meeting of delegation secretaries is scheduled for October 25 to finalise the joint statement of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum.

The programme will include plenary debates, parallel meetings, bilateral exchanges and discussions among the chairs of international affairs committees of BRICS member and partner parliaments on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and the sharing of best practices.

The forum will be held under India's chairship, with a focus on strengthening parliamentary cooperation and promoting people centric development.