Parliamentary Diplomacy Takes Center Stage
New Delhi hosted foreign delegations for the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on October 26, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor emphasizing the distinct value of legislative engagement in international relations. Speaking to the media at the Parliament complex, Tharoor described parliamentary diplomacy as providing an opportunity for members of parliament (MPs) to engage with their counterparts through dialogue that is more informal than official government-to-government meetings.
Tharoor characterized the forum as an "interesting opportunity" for such exchanges. He noted that international relations extend beyond geopolitics and state-level diplomacy, asserting that parliamentarians play a very important role in these interactions.
Delegations Arrive at Parliament Complex
The two-day forum commenced with the arrival of delegations from BRICS partner countries at the Parliament complex. Foreign representatives from Uganda, Cuba, Brazil, and Russia arrived at the venue to attend the event.
Russia and Brazil are full member countries in the BRICS forum, whereas Uganda and Cuba were made partner countries in 2025. Parliamentary delegations representing 11 member countries and 10 partner nations of BRICS arrived in New Delhi to participate in the forum.
Inaugural Proceedings
The inaugural ceremony of the forum commenced at 10:00 AM. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who serves as the Chairman of the Forum, delivered the inaugural address to open the proceedings.
Historical Precedents for Legislative Engagement
During his remarks, Tharoor recalled parliamentary delegations sent abroad after Operation Sindoor last year. He stated that interactions during those trips demonstrated the value of direct engagement between parliamentarians.
Tharoor reported that foreign counterparts found it useful to talk to MPs at a different level. "They wanted an opportunity to connect with members of parliament from our country and have a dialogue which is at a different level, a little more informal than when you actually have government-to-government meetings," Tharoor said.
He added that during the trips following Operation Sindoor, officials in the visited countries told the delegations how useful it was for them to be able to talk to MPs. Tharoor described this as an opportunity to showcase parliamentary diplomacy, noting that while governments handle official state affairs, legislative channels offer a distinct mode of connection.