Parliament is set to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum from Monday under the theme 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development', with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to meet leaders of the visiting delegations during the two-day gathering.
Ahead of the forum, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday held bilateral discussions with a Russian parliamentary delegation led by State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, focusing on strengthening legislative cooperation, trade, investment and coordination at international forums.
According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, both sides emphasised the importance of closer cooperation on global platforms and joint efforts to combat terrorism.
Birla thanked Russia for its consistent support to India on the issue and noted that the two countries would complete 80 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
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During the meeting, Birla called for regular meetings of the India-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Commission and greater exchanges between parliamentary delegations, particularly involving young and women lawmakers.
He also highlighted opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy and industry.
Referring to India's BRICS Presidency in 2026, the Lok Sabha Speaker sought Russia's active participation in expanding parliamentary cooperation within the grouping.
Birla reiterated the need for reforming the United Nations Security Council and thanked Moscow for supporting India's aspiration for permanent membership of the body.
Volodin, meanwhile, emphasised the importance of promoting joint business ventures and removing barriers affecting trade and investment between the two countries.
He supported regular interactions between the Indian and Russian legislatures, including through the BRICS framework, and reaffirmed Russia's commitment to cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
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The BRICS Parliamentary Forum will feature dedicated sessions on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
The discussions will focus on strengthening the role of legislatures in advancing people-centric development and promoting cooperation among participating countries.
A special meeting of chairpersons of international affairs committees from BRICS member and partner nations will also be organised during the forum.
The meeting will examine parliamentary diplomacy, institutional capacity building and the exchange of legislative best practices.
๐๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐
Apart from the discussions with the Russian delegation, Birla also met parliamentary representatives from Cuba, Egypt and Belarus ahead of the forum.
The two-day programme includes parallel meetings, bilateral engagements and interactions among parliamentary representatives from participating countries.
A cultural programme has also been scheduled as part of the gathering.
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, will host a banquet for the visiting delegates.
The forum is expected to provide a platform for parliamentary representatives to exchange experiences, strengthen institutional ties and discuss ways to advance cooperation on development-related challenges.