Om Birla meets Russian Duma Chairman Volodin ahead of BRICS MPs forum
Why in the news
On 25 October 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held bilateral talks in New Delhi with Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of Russia, a day before the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum opened.
Key facts
- Partnership: Birla called India-Russia ties a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership; the two countries mark 80 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
- Terrorism and UNSC: Birla thanked Russia for backing India against terrorism and for supporting UN Security Council reform and India’s claim to a permanent seat.
- Sansad Bhashini: discussed as an Indian technology tool for making parliamentary proceedings available in many Indian languages.
- Parliamentary links: regular delegation exchanges, dialogue among young and women MPs, and stronger Parliamentary Friendship Groups.
- Other meetings: Birla also met delegations from Cuba, Egypt and Belarus.
About the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Host | Parliament of India (India holds the BRICS Presidency in 2026) |
| Dates | 26-27 October 2026 |
| Venue | Parliament House Complex, New Delhi |
| Theme | Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development |
| Format | Four high-level sessions on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability |
A special meeting of chairpersons of international affairs committees of BRICS member and partner parliaments is also planned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend on 26 October.
Exam angle
- The State Duma is part of Russia’s Federal Assembly; its Chairman is Vyacheslav Volodin.
- Note the edition (12th), venue and theme of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
- Sansad Bhashini relates to multilingual access to Parliament proceedings.