India Assumes Chairmanship of 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum

<p>The BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in Brasilia, Brazil, has sent a significant diplomatic message by unanimously condemning the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The forum, which included representatives from India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, expressed a united resolve to combat terrorism on a global scale.</p>
<p>The Indian delegation was led by Shri Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who highlighted in his address that terrorism has become a global crisis that can only be effectively addressed through international cooperation. He advocated four key measures: cutting off financial support to terrorist organizations, enhancing intelligence-sharing mechanisms, preventing the misuse of emerging technologies, and increasing cooperation in investigation and judicial processes. These recommendations were unanimously accepted by all participating countries and included in the final joint declaration.</p>
<p>Shri Om Birla emphasized India&rsquo;s deep commitment to BRICS during the session on &ldquo;Towards Stronger and More Durable BRICS Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation.&rdquo; He highlighted that BRICS has emerged as a powerful voice of the Global South and a symbol of cooperation among diverse nations. According to him, the strength of this platform lies in the cultural diversity, mutual respect, and tradition of collective consensus shared by member countries, which together provide the foundation for inclusive and sustainable development.</p>
<p>He further noted that the ancient Indian ideal of &ldquo;Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam &mdash; The world is one family&rdquo; perfectly aligns with the spirit of BRICS. Shri Birla called on all BRICS parliaments to recognize their shared responsibility in establishing a just and inclusive global order. Representing the world&rsquo;s largest democracy and an ancient civilization, he affirmed India&rsquo;s dedication to strengthening parliamentary cooperation within BRICS to make it more impactful and people-centric.</p>
<p>This firm stand on counterterrorism represents a major diplomatic setback for Pakistan, as several Muslim-majority nations, alongside China, expressed solidarity with India on the issue of terrorism.</p>
<p>The Lok Sabha Secretariat&rsquo;s official statement emphasized that the joint declaration strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and confirmed the commitment of all BRICS member parliaments to act collectively against terrorism. Besides terrorism, the forum also discussed key global issues including Artificial Intelligence (AI), global trade, inter-parliamentary cooperation, and international peace and security.</p>
<p>India&rsquo;s leadership at the forum was formally recognized, and Shri Om Birla was handed over the chairmanship for the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum scheduled to be hosted by India next year. India will now play an active role in fostering stronger cooperation among BRICS parliaments and promoting a collective approach to tackling global challenges.</p>