Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, 26 October 2026, declared that development must not come at the cost of ecological balance, urging the parliaments of BRICS member and partner countries to pursue collective action toward a prosperous, inclusive, and environmentally secure world. He was addressing the inaugural session of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 at Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament House complex, New Delhi.

Key Themes of Birla's Address

Birla stated that Indian philosophical thought regards development and environmental preservation as complementary and mutually reinforcing pursuits — a perspective he said could serve as a guiding framework for BRICS parliaments. He stressed that policies for economic and social progress must be shaped by environmental responsibility, long-term sustainability, and a deep commitment to safeguarding the interests of future generations.

Highlighting the forum's central theme, 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development', Birla said the two-day deliberations would revolve around four interconnected pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.

On Youth, Democracy and Institutional Resilience

Drawing attention to the aspirations of younger generations, Birla underscored that parliaments carry a vital responsibility to listen to young voices and create meaningful pathways for their energy, creativity, and capabilities to feed into nation-building. Empowering youth, he argued, is not merely an investment in individual futures but a commitment to the collective destiny of nations.

On democratic institutions, he emphasised that BRICS countries must continually strengthen their legislative frameworks and institutional capacities to ensure continuity, accountability, and effective democratic oversight — particularly during periods of uncertainty and disruption. Parliaments, he observed, are living institutions that must evolve in step with the changing aspirations of the people they represent.

Modi's Vision and Parliamentary Diplomacy

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transforming BRICS into an 'ecosystem of solutions', Birla said the true measure of the Forum's success would lie not merely in the breadth of discussions but in the depth of outcomes and the tangible difference they make to people's lives.

Birla also described the diversity of BRICS nations as a valuable asset rather than a constraint, and called for parliamentary diplomacy that fosters cooperation while fully respecting the sovereignty and distinctive perspectives of every member nation.

High-Level Participation

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum and interacted with foreign delegates at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. The event brought together Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, Union Ministers, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries.

The forum's outcomes — if translated into binding parliamentary commitments — could shape legislative approaches to climate, trade, and democratic governance across economies that collectively represent a significant share of global population and output.