In a bold advancement for India’s foreign affairs, Minister Kiren Rijiju revealed that Parliamentary Friendship Groups established with 64 countries will fortify relations with strategic partners and anchor parliamentary diplomacy within the nation’s policy framework.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s initiative creates structured avenues for inter-parliamentary collaboration, amplifying India’s voice through legislator-level engagements that complement executive diplomacy.
Posting on X, Rijiju credited PM Modi’s post-Operation Sindoor proposal for this network. ‘Over 60 groups now operational, enhancing democratic bonds globally,’ he stated, praising Birla’s execution.
Diverse leaders such as Supriya Sule, Sanjay Singh, Shashi Tharoor, and Biplab Kumar Deb will chair the groups, reflecting India’s inclusive political fabric. Phase one targets influential players including New Zealand, Switzerland, South Korea, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, and Iran.
These platforms enable direct exchanges on legislative insights, innovative practices, and pivotal topics like economic trade, technological advancements, societal policies, cultural exchanges, and transnational democratic issues.
By fostering routine interactions, field visits, and collective brainstorming, the groups will nurture confidence and bilateral synergy. This builds on Modi’s earlier cross-party missions abroad, demonstrating national unity on core interests.
Birla’s vision transforms transient efforts into permanent institutions, advocating for parliament’s proactive international role. Prioritizing democratic values and transcending affiliations, it exemplifies India’s mature governance model.
Ultimately, these groups bridge parliaments as indispensable links, driving sustained partnerships in a closely knit world order.