St. Petersburg – 11 July : Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla who is leading the Indian Delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, in St. Petersburg, Russia, addressed the first plenary session the theme of which was ‘The BRICS Parliamentary dimension: prospects for strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation’ today.
While wishing ‘Dobroye utro (Good morning)’ to the dignitaries present, Shri Birla informed that approximately 65 crore voters exercised their franchise in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, after which Shri Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister for the third time. He said that it is his good fortune that the country’s elected house, Lok Sabha, elected him to the post of Speaker for the second consecutive time.
Extending a welcome to the four new Members, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates into BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Shri Birla commended the Russian Chair for ensuring the seamless integration of the new members into the organization. BRICS, largely representing the interests of the developing world, stands for greater democratization of global governance system, and for reforming the international organizations such as the UN Security Council, WTO, at global level , Shri Birla felt.
Emphasizing the crucial role of Parliaments and parliamentarians in advancing the BRICS agenda for inclusive growth and sustainable development, Shri Birla observed that India is a proactive partner in this initiative. He highlighted India’s commitment to uniting emerging markets and developing countries and affirmed its dedication to the principles of mutual respect, understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus.
Stressing the importance of enhancing cooperation among BRICS members and other multilateral forums, Shri Birla cited the Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ meaning “the world is one family” which is in sync with commitment of BRICS to equality, solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation. Mentioning the successful conclusion of the 18th G20 Summit and the Ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) in New Delhi last year, Shri Birla noted that those historic events exemplify India’s commitment to the philosophy of finding collaborative solutions for global well-being and inclusive development. India believes that the insights and proposals shared by Presiding Officers at the New Delhi P20 summit on Agenda 2030 for SDGs, sustainable energy transitions, gender equality, and public digital platforms will significantly enhance global collaboration for inclusive growth and sustainable development, Shri Birla elaborated.
On the role of Inter-Parliamentary fora, Shri Birla emphasized that Parliamentarians play a crucial role in advancing the agenda of growth and sustainable development, viewing the BRICS Parliamentary Forum as pivotal in this context. He highlighted that such fora offer Parliamentarians valuable opportunities to exchange new ideas, innovative legislation, and best practices. Elucidating the active involvement of Parliaments, Shri Birla underscored its importance in achieving SDGs and tackling global challenges such as climate change, socio-economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Calling for the need to strengthen the BRICS parliamentary dimension Shri Birla advocated India’s stance of collaboration among that BRICS Parliaments to enhance cooperation and solidarity, reform global governance, improve multilateral organizations, promote economic recovery, and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Shri Birla also referred to the challenges ahead but remained optimistic that strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation would cultivate a more inclusive and democratic BRICS partnership. He reiterated India’s commitment to democratic values and sustainable development and to furthering the BRICS agenda. Lastly he expressed his gratitude to his Russian counterpart and the Parliament of the Russian Federation for their exemplary hospitality.
During the day, Shri Birla also met H.E. Ms.Tulia Ackson, IPU president.
Shri Birla’s visit to Russia to attend the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum meeting was his first foreign visit after his historic election as Lok Sabha Speaker for second consecutive terms.
