India is preparing to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi on 26 and 27 October, placing parliamentary cooperation, responsible technological development and global governance reform at the centre of discussions.
The forum will be held at Samvidhan Sadan, the historic Parliament complex, under India's BRICS chairship for 2026. Parliamentary leaders and presiding officers from member and partner countries have been invited to participate in the two-day programme.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: India is set to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on 26–27 October 2026.
Location: Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi, India.
Authority/Organisation: Parliament of India, under India's 2026 BRICS chairship, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chairing the forum.
Action Taken: A two-day programme has been scheduled, covering resilience, ethical AI and digital transformation, global governance reform, sustainability and parliamentary diplomacy.
Impact: The forum offers a platform for parliamentary dialogue, institutional cooperation and the exchange of approaches to shared international challenges.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the inaugural event and meet visiting delegations. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who will chair the forum, has described the gathering as an opportunity to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and promote dialogue on shared international challenges.
Four major areas of discussion
The programme is organised around four broad themes: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The forum is important because many international policy challenges increasingly involve technology, institutional trust and cooperation across borders. Responsible AI: Legislatures are being asked to consider how artificial intelligence can be developed and used in ways that respect human interests and support public institutions. Global governance: Discussions about international institutional reform reflect continuing questions about representation, cooperation and how global decision-making can respond to contemporary challenges. Democratic institutions: Parliamentary exchanges can help representatives share experience on oversight, accountability, legislative capacity and public engagement. Sustainable development: Cooperation between legislatures can support the exchange of policy approaches on inclusive growth and environmental sustainability. However, the forum's importance will ultimately depend on the quality of discussions and whether participants agree on concrete follow-up measures.
Institutional resilience: Discussions will examine how parliaments can strengthen democratic institutions, improve accountability and respond to emerging challenges.
Ethical artificial intelligence and digital transformation: Delegates are expected to explore how legislatures can encourage human-centred innovation while addressing the implications of rapidly developing digital technologies.
Global governance reform: Parliamentary representatives will discuss cooperation among countries and the need for international institutions to respond more effectively to changing global circumstances.
Sustainable and inclusive development: The forum will consider the contribution of parliaments to policies that support long-term development and more inclusive outcomes.
The discussions are expected to combine high-level plenary sessions with bilateral meetings and exchanges between parliamentary delegations.
Parliamentary diplomacy and international cooperation
A dedicated meeting of the chairpersons of international affairs committees from BRICS member and partner parliaments is also planned. The meeting will focus on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity-building and the exchange of institutional practices.
Such exchanges can provide legislators with opportunities to compare approaches to policymaking, parliamentary oversight and international engagement. They can also help build communication channels between legislatures, even when participating countries have different national interests.
India's hosting of the forum comes as BRICS continues to serve as a platform for cooperation among emerging and developing economies. Parliamentary engagement complements government-to-government diplomacy by providing an additional avenue for dialogue on shared concerns.
Prospects for a joint statement
Preparations for the meeting have included efforts to finalise a joint statement through consultations among delegation secretaries. Any final declaration will depend on agreement among participating delegations.
The forum is expected to conclude on 27 October. Its substantive outcomes, including any agreed statement or new cooperation commitments, should be assessed after the official proceedings conclude.
