NEW DELHI: The Parliament of India is all prepared to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum over two days, from October 26 to 27, 2026, at the historic Central Hall of the old Parliament building, now renamed Samvidhan Sadan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the conference on October 26 and interact with the leaders of parliamentary and other delegations scheduled to attend from across 11 BRICS member countries and 11 specially invited partner countries.
Sharing details with the media on Thursday at the Parliament auditorium, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is the chairperson of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the inaugural ceremony and meet the leaders of the visiting delegations.
Birla said, “Presiding Officers, Members of Parliament (MPs), and other dignitaries from BRICS and partner nations will deliberate on strategic priorities for parliaments.” He added that parliamentary leaders from across BRICS member and partner countries would assemble in New Delhi for the forum, which is being held under India's presidency with a focus on the theme of ‘people-centric development’.
As chairperson of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Om Birla will preside over the proceedings and hold bilateral discussions with the leaders of the visiting delegations. He will also deliver the valedictory address at the conclusion of the conference.
Addressing the media, Birla described the gathering as a significant milestone in India's parliamentary diplomacy. He said, “It will see the participation of Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner nations, Union Ministers, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Shri Harivansh), Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests.”
The forum will feature both bilateral and multilateral discussions involving the leaders of the visiting delegations. Ahead of the main conference, a meeting of the delegation secretaries will take place on October 25 to finalise the joint statement for the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
According to Birla, the central theme of the forum will be "Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development". Building on the legacy of previous editions, the 12th forum will bring together participating countries for consensus-driven discussions across four high-level areas: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
The session on Resilience will examine the crucial role of parliaments in strengthening institutions and building a more secure and prosperous future.
Under Innovation, participants will discuss ways to promote human-centric innovation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies through parliamentary initiatives.
The Cooperation session will focus on strengthening parliamentary collaboration to help establish a more representative system of global governance.
Meanwhile, discussions under Sustainability will explore how parliaments can contribute to securing a sustainable and inclusive future for their respective nations.
Birla further said that a special meeting would be organised for the chairpersons of international affairs committees from the parliaments of BRICS member states and partner countries.
The meeting will focus on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and the sharing of best practices.
Highlighting the key issues on the agenda, Birla said, “Discussions will be held on institutional resilience, ethical AI and digital transformation, global governance reform, and the role of parliaments in sustainable development.” He reiterated that the international affairs committees of BRICS member and partner nations would also exchange views on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and best practices.
The two-day conference will include high-level plenary sessions, parallel meetings, bilateral exchanges and a cultural programme, offering delegates opportunities to discuss shared priorities and strengthen parliamentary ties.
The Vice-President of India will host a banquet in honour of the distinguished guests. Members of the delegations will also visit the Parliament of India and take part in a cultural tour of Delhi.
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will conclude on October 27, marking another important engagement in India's efforts to strengthen parliamentary dialogue and cooperation among BRICS member states and partner countries.
