Bahrain – 11 March : Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla today participated in several important bilateral meetings with his counterparts from across the world on the sidelines of the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference being held in Manama, Bahrain.
Shri Birla held bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr. Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia; H.E. Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh; H.E. Mr. Sooroojdev Phokeer, Hon’ble Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius; H.E. Khalid Hilal Naseer Al Maawali, Chairman of the Majlis e ‘Shura of the Sultanate of Oman; and H.E. Ahmed Bin Salman Al Musalam, Chairman of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain.
INDIA-AUSTRALIA RELATIONS ARE TOUCHING NEW DIMENSIONS
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held bilateral talks with the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, Mr. Milton Dick on the sidelines of the 146th Assembly of the IPU held in Manama, Bahrain, today. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Birla expressed confidence that parliamentary relations between India and Australia would be further strengthened by regular parliamentary dialogue between the two democracies. Appreciating the wide administrative and parliamentary experience of Mr. Dick, Shri Birla credited him for strengthening the bilateral parliamentary relations between the two countries.
Referring to the democratic heritage of both the countries, Shri Birla noted that India and Australia are working towards the socio-economic welfare of their citizens through democratic systems. Referring to the multi-party system of the Indian Parliament, Shri Birla said that Indian democracy is enriched and strengthened by diverse parties, viewpoints and ideologies. He further added that the Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue between India and Australia is an important component of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Referring to India’s chairmanship of the G20, Shri Birla expressed confidence in Australia’s active participation in the upcoming G20 and P20 summits. On this occasion, Shri Birla also extended a formal invitation to Mr. Dick to visit India, especially to attend the P20 Summit.
Regarding the visit of Prime Minister of Australia Mr. Anthony Albanese to India, Shri Birla said that these visits have given a new direction to mutual relations, due to which India and Australia cooperate extensively to maintain regional peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region.
INDO-BANGLADESH COOPERATION ON THE UPSWING: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla had a bilateral meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury. Expressing happiness on this occasion, Shri Birla said that the high-level visits between Bangladesh and India in the recent years have strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries.
Shri Birla said that India and Bangladesh have always had cordial and friendly relations and the people of India, government and public representatives have continually supported Bangladesh. He added that over the years, connectivity between the two countries has increased in areas such as road, rail, air, inland waterways, coastal shipping, power, energy and digital space. Shri Birla expressed confidence that both countries would benefit by giving new impetus to mutual economic relations.
Describing India as a committed partner for the development of Bangladesh, Shri Birla said that India has provided Bangladesh a Line of Credit of USD 10 billion, which is being utilized to finance rail, road and port infrastructure projects in Bangladesh. He added that India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline built with India’s assistance is also going to start operations soon, which would prove to be a symbol of India’s commitment for the development and prosperity of Bangladesh. Shri Birla described parliamentary institutions as an important pillar of democratic governance and emphasized on promoting regular parliamentary-level dialogue between the two democracies.
MAURITIUS-INDIA SHARE CLOSE AND HISTORICAL RELATIONS: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with Hon’ble Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius H.E. Mr. Sooroojdev Phokeer. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Birla said that due to historical, demographic and cultural reasons, Mauritius and India have close and long-standing relations. He added that India and Mauritius share a special relationship based on shared history, languages, culture, relationships and values.
Shri Birla expressed happiness on completion of 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Describing parliamentary institutions as important pillars of democratic governance, Shri Birla said that both the countries believe in the similar democratic values, beliefs and rule of law.
Referring to the 2017 visit of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Mauritius, Shri Birla said that an ‘Agreement for Cooperation for Parliamentary Support and Capacity Building’ was signed between the two Parliaments. He added that there have been regular visits of public representatives giving a fillip to the close relations between the two democracies.
LOK SABHA SPEAKER INVITES CHAIRMAN OF OMAN SHURA TO ATTEND P-20 CONFERENCE
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Mr. Khalid Hilal Naseer Al Maawali, Chairman of the Majlis e ‘Shura of the Sultanate of Oman. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Birla said that India and Oman share a long-standing and historical relationship, going back several centuries. He expressed happiness that the bilateral relations between the two countries have become stronger and deeper over time.
Discussing the uniqueness of Indian democracy, Shri Birla said that India has always witnessed a smooth transfer of power on the basis of democracy. He added that India and Oman have long enjoyed strong parliamentary relations, which makes inter-parliamentary dialogue an important component of the bilateral relations between the two countries. He expressed the desire that multi-faceted cooperation between the two democracies must be further strengthened.
Given India’s special relationship with Oman, the country has been we have extended a special invitation as an honored guest at the G-20 Summit to be held in New Delhi this year. Shri Birla expressed hope that H.E. Mr. Al Maawali would participate in the ninth P-20 summit to be hosted by the Parliament of India, later this year.
BAHRAIN AND INDIA HAVE FACED CHALLENGES TOGETHER: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
Shri Birla also held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Ahmed bin Salman Al Musalam, Chairman of the Council of Representatives of India and Bahrain on the sidelines of the conference. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Birla said that India and Bahrain have had civilizational and close ties since time immemorial. He hoped that this relationship will be further strengthened in the times to come.
Shri Birla recalled that there was regular high level contact between the two countries during the pandemic. He expressed happiness that both the countries cooperated fully with each other in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic which reflects their deep and strong bilateral ties. He hoped that such exchanges would increase in the future, and further strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Referring to the Indian community based in Bahrain, Shri Birla said that Bahrain is a highly favored destination for Indians. He thanked the leadership and government of Bahrain for ensuring the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community. Shri Birla expressed happiness that the Indian community is making a significant contribution to the development of Bahrain. Shri Birla also expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the maintenance of the 200-year-old Shrinathji Temple located in Manama, Bahrain.
INDIAN DIASPORA STRENGTHENING BONDS BETWEEN NATIONS: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla interacted with members of the Indian community at a function organized by the Embassy of India in Manama, Bahrain.
Referring to the bilateral relations between India and Bahrain, Shri Birla said that the close relations between the two countries are based on shared cultural values. Shri Birla attributed this achievement to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the Indian Diaspora and appreciated their contribution towards Bahrain. He added that both the countries enjoy cordial political, economic, cultural and civilizational relations.
Stating that the Indian community in Bahrain is an important link between the two countries, Shri Birla said that the Indian community constitutes almost a quarter of the population of Bahrain and is the largest expatriate community who has left a significant and visible mark in all walks of life.
Shri Birla lauded Bahrain’s top leadership for publicly acknowledging the contribution of the Indian Diaspora towards Bahrain’s development and progress and for their proactive efforts in ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community.
