Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday, 22 October 2026, announced that the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will be held at Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi on 26–27 October, bringing together parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries in what Birla described as 'a new chapter in India's parliamentary diplomacy.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend and meet delegates from the participating nations.

Who Will Attend

The Forum will convene Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, alongside Union Ministers, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries. Representatives from 11 BRICS member countries and 10 specially invited partner countries are expected to participate. Notably, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia have declined to participate, according to Birla.

Key Agenda and Sessions

The Forum's overarching theme is 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development', with deliberations structured around four high-level sessions — Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability. A preparatory meeting of delegation Secretaries will be held on 25 October to finalise the Joint Statement of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum. Birla said suggestions have already been received from 18 countries, with discussions to proceed accordingly.

India's Parliamentary Diplomacy Push

Birla highlighted that India has launched a new initiative establishing Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 countries — a scale he described as unprecedented. 'This is the first time such a major effort has been undertaken, although attempts were made in the past,' he said at the press conference. These Friendship Groups facilitate bilateral and multilateral interactions with visiting delegations on the sidelines of the Forum.

Birla also called India's BRICS Joint Declaration in September a 'major achievement,' expressing hope that the Parliamentary Forum would similarly culminate in a consensus joint declaration. He described the Forum as a platform through which participating countries can learn from India's parliamentary best practices, citing India's use of AI and technology for translation into 22 languages, committee procedures, and paperless legislatures as examples of practices being adopted internationally.

Terrorism, Technology and Democratic Norms

The Lok Sabha Speaker used the press conference to underscore India's consistent stance against terrorism, stating: 'Terrorism is a serious challenge for the world. India's position has consistently been against terrorism, and we have always condemned it at every level. I hope there will be a detailed discussion on this issue within BRICS as well. Terrorism must end in every country.'

Birla also stressed the importance of technology being 'people-centric,' noting that most State Legislative Assemblies in India have gone paperless and that the Parliament's AI practices are now being replicated at the grassroots level, including Municipal Councils and Panchayats. He separately welcomed a visiting Russian delegation, confirming a bilateral meeting and a session of the India-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

What Comes Next

With preparatory work underway and suggestions logged from 18 countries, the Forum is set to be among the most expansive parliamentary multilateral events hosted by India in recent years. The outcomes — particularly any joint declaration on terrorism and development — will be closely watched as a signal of BRICS parliamentary cohesion heading into 2027.