12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum Opens in New Delhi to Fuel Global South Cooperation

The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum officially commenced today at the historic Samvidhan Sadan, gathering legislative leaders from 21 nations to drive democratic and citizen-focused growth. Hosted under India’s 2026 BRICS chairship, the high-profile, two-day summit centers on the theme, “Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development”.

In his opening address, Lok Sabha Speaker and Forum Chairperson Om Birla lauded the bloc's growing global influence. "We see the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum as an opportunity to enhance parliamentary cooperation and strengthen dialogue among representatives of the member countries," Birla noted on the eve of the event, adding that BRICS has evolved into an "influential anchor of the Global South".

The opening followed intensive bilateral meetings, notably between Birla and Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of Russia’s State Duma, where both delegations pushed for global counter-terrorism strategies and trade reforms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to meet with the visiting Speakers and delegation heads later today. Lawmakers are set to deliberate across four distinct, high-level legislative sessions focusing strictly on Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.

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