India will host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum later this month, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to inaugurate the multilateral gathering at the historic Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, the old Parliament building, on October 26.
The three-day event, beginning October 25, will bring together parliamentary leaders, presiding officers and delegates from BRICS member and partner nations to deliberate on global cooperation, legislative diplomacy and the role of parliaments in addressing common international challenges.
According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the forum will conclude on October 27 with the adoption of a joint statement reflecting the discussions and shared priorities of the participating delegations.
The parliamentary gathering comes close on the heels of the high-profile BRICS Summit hosted by India in New Delhi last month, providing another platform for engagement among the grouping's member and partner countries.
๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ถ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐บ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ป
The Prime Minister will formally inaugurate the forum on October 26 at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, which served as the seat of India's Parliament before the inauguration of the new Parliament building in 2023.
The choice of venue carries historical significance, given the Central Hall's association with India's parliamentary democracy and major constitutional milestones.
The forum is expected to provide an opportunity for parliamentary representatives to exchange views on issues of common concern and strengthen cooperation between legislative institutions.
While the detailed programme and delegation list have not yet been announced, the gathering is likely to feature senior parliamentary figures from BRICS member and partner nations.
The event will also provide an opportunity for India to highlight the importance of parliamentary engagement alongside diplomatic cooperation among participating countries.
๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Preparatory meetings involving delegation secretaries will take place before the formal sessions to finalise the proposed declaration or joint statement.
The document is expected to reflect the broad areas of agreement emerging from the parliamentary deliberations.
The forum will conclude with its adoption on October 27, marking the culmination of three days of engagement among parliamentary representatives.
Such declarations provide participating legislatures with a common framework for continued dialogue and cooperation, although their implementation depends on the domestic legislative processes of individual countries.
The emphasis on a joint statement also reflects the forum's role in building consensus on matters that require cooperation beyond national boundaries.
๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Global cooperation and legislative diplomacy are expected to take centre stage during the meeting.
The BRICS Parliamentary Forum serves as the official inter-parliamentary platform for member countries, enabling lawmakers and parliamentary leaders to exchange perspectives on issues affecting their nations.
An important objective of the forum is to strengthen democratic dialogue and ensure that the concerns and aspirations of the Global South receive greater attention in international discussions.
The platform also seeks to promote coordination among national legislatures on issues of mutual interest.
Unlike the BRICS leaders' summits, which bring together heads of state and government to discuss broader policy priorities, the Parliamentary Forum focuses on the legislative dimension of international cooperation.
It provides a mechanism for parliamentary representatives to consider how commitments reached through diplomatic engagements can be reflected in domestic legal and institutional frameworks.
The forum also encourages exchanges on parliamentary practices, legislative procedures and approaches to common governance challenges.
๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐
The parliamentary gathering is intended to complement the work undertaken at the executive level during BRICS summits.
While governments negotiate international agreements and identify areas of cooperation, national parliaments often play an important role in considering legislation, examining policies and ensuring accountability.
The BRICS Parliamentary Forum provides a space for lawmakers to discuss these responsibilities and share experiences from their respective countries.
The meeting is also expected to strengthen institutional contacts among parliamentary bodies, allowing engagement to continue beyond individual summits.
Such exchanges have assumed importance as BRICS expands its engagement with partner nations and seeks to deepen cooperation across different areas of governance.
For India, hosting the forum offers another opportunity to facilitate dialogue among countries with diverse political systems, economic priorities and legislative traditions.
๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ'๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต
India has previously hosted major international parliamentary gatherings, including the Ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit, known as the P20 Summit, in New Delhi in October 2023.
That event brought together parliamentary leaders from G20 countries and invited nations to discuss the role of legislatures in addressing global challenges.
The forthcoming BRICS Parliamentary Forum continues India's engagement with multilateral parliamentary diplomacy.
The event is expected to build on the discussions held during last month's BRICS Summit while giving legislative representatives a separate platform to examine shared priorities.
With preparations underway for the October 25โ27 gathering, the Lok Sabha Secretariat is coordinating arrangements for the participation of international delegations and the adoption of the concluding joint statement.