Om Birla forms Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 nations

New Delhi: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla recently established Parliamentary Friendship Groups with over 60 countries, according to government sources on Monday.

This initiative represents one of the most extensive outreach efforts by the Lower House of the Indian Parliament in recent years.

The purpose of these Friendship Groups is to strengthen structured engagement between Indian legislators and their international counterparts, thereby complementing traditional diplomatic channels with ongoing Parliament-to-Parliament dialogues. The groups include Members of Parliament from multiple political parties, highlighting a broad-based, bipartisan approach to fostering international relations.

Senior leaders and seasoned Parliamentarians from diverse political backgrounds have been appointed to lead these groups, underscoring the initiative’s inclusive and representative nature.

The countries involved span key strategic partners and regions, including the United States, Russia, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Additionally, involvement with the European Parliament has been planned.

Officials have indicated that these groups are designed to facilitate exchanges on various topics, including legislative practices, trade, technology, social policy, cultural diplomacy, and addressing global challenges faced by democracies. The activities will feature regular dialogues, study visits, and joint working sessions aimed at fostering long-term trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation.

Birla has consistently emphasised the importance of Parliamentary diplomacy in elevating India’s global stature, positioning Parliament as an active and influential stakeholder in foreign relations. The initiative builds upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach, which involved multi-party delegations travelling abroad to present a unified national perspective.