New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi on Monday, October 26, opening two days of deliberations among presiding officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, PTI reported.

Source: PTI via Dailyworld

Birla told the gathering that BRICS countries comprise half of the world's population, and that the Forum would facilitate consensus-based dialogue on resilience, cooperation and sustainability. The world is grappling with wars and economic instability, he said, and dialogue and diplomacy are important in such times; the impact of a war is not limited to one country, and parliaments can help resolve global challenges, PTI reported in a series of alerts from the inaugural session.

The Forum, being held on October 26–27 under the theme 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development', brings together Union ministers, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, presiding officers of state legislatures and MPs, IANS reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to grace the event and meet the visiting delegations.

Source: IANS via NewKerala

On the sidelines, Birla met Russia's State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, appreciated Russia's consistent support for India in its fight against terrorism and stressed that the international community must show unity and resolve against the menace, IANS reported, noting that India and Russia complete 80 years of diplomatic relations in 2027. The four high-level sessions cover resilience, human-centred innovation in AI and digital technologies, more representative global governance, and sustainability.

Source: Devdiscourse

Awaaz Punjab reported the Forum's schedule and theme when Birla announced it on October 22. Read the earlier announcement