• By Ajeet Kumar
  • Sat, 07 Jun 2025 05:22 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

India will host the next BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced at the conclusion of the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasilia, where member nations, in a joint declaration, also strongly condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, and called for a "collectively" global approach with a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. The joint statement is seen as a major blow to Pakistan as China, an all-weather friend of Pakistan, is also a part of the group and has equally condemned the Pak-sponsored terror attack that shook the whole world on April 22.

The Lok Sabha Speaker, during his statement, also highlighted the commitment of BRICS nations to work together on other key issues such as artificial intelligence, economic cooperation, and parliamentary collaboration as well.

Birla expressed gratitude to Brazil's Parliament, government, and people for hosting the summit and said, "The agenda will be set for the Summit in India, and India will ensure a successful and productive hosting of the event."

BRICS agreed to fight terrorism collectively

"In this final declaration, BRICS countries agreed that we must fight terrorism collectively. They condemned the terrorist incident that took place on April 22 in Pahalgam, Kashmir, India and emphasised the need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism through joint efforts. The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India has also called upon all countries of the world to adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism," Birla added in his statement.

On the use of Artificial Intelligence, Birla stated, "It was agreed that AI must be used, and it is indeed essential. But there must also be transparency and accountability in its use." Discussions also focused on economic inclusion and ways to enhance trade and cooperation among BRICS nations.

The BRICS joint declaration

Birla reaffirmed India's support for the rule of law, global cooperation, and dialogue on the world stage. He thanked all BRICS nations and expressed confidence that through joint efforts, parliamentary exchanges, and sharing of best practices, meaningful changes can be brought to citizens' lives.

"The ten BRICS countries represented in this year's forum were: India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. Delegations from the parliaments of these countries actively participated in the conference and played a key role in shaping the joint declaration," an earlier statement from the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

The Indian delegation to the BRICS Parliamentary Forum was led by Birla and included Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Singh Nagar, Lok Sabha MPs Vijay Baghel, Vivek Thakur, Shabari Bareddy, Lok Sabha Secretary General Uttpal Kumar Singh, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Modi, and senior officials of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

 (With inputs from agency)