Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today said India is a proactive partner furthering the BRICS agenda of inclusive growth and sustainable development. The Lok Sabha Speaker is leading the Indian delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Addressing the first plenary session, Mr Birla informed that around 65 crore voters exercised their franchise in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. He said that it was his good fortune that the Lok Sabha elected him to the post of Speaker for the second consecutive time.

Extending a welcome to the four new Members – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE – into the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Mr Birla commended the Russian Chair for ensuring the seamless integration of the new members into the organization. He opined that BRICS stands for greater democratization of the global governance system, and for reforming international organizations such as the UN Security Council and WTO at the global level.