Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is leading the Indian delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Thursday addressed the first plenary session on “The BRICS Parliamentary dimension: prospects for strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation”.

Wishing ‘Dobroye utro (Good morning)’ to the dignitaries present, Mr Birla informed the session that approximately 65 crore voters exercised their franchise in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, after which Mr Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time.

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The Speaker said 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, Mr 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, Mr Birla said.

Emphasising the crucial role of Parliaments and parliamentarians in advancing the BRICS agenda for inclusive growth and sustainable development, he 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, Mr 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, Mr 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, he said.