Brasilia, June 6: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with Dr Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Majles of Iran, on the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in Brazil’s capital, and discussed ancient and cordial relations between the two nations with a particular focus on enhancing connectivity through the Chabahar Port.

Their discussion focused on deepening India-Iran ties, including through the strategic Chabahar Port, which is central to enhancing connectivity between South Asia, Central Asia, and beyond.

Taking to the social media platform X, Speaker Birla shared highlights from his interaction.

"On the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasília, had a warm interaction with H.E. Dr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Majles of Iran. Discussed ancient and cordial relations between India and Iran, with particular focus on enhancing connectivity through the Chabahar Port, strengthening parliamentary cooperation, and addressing regional and global challenges. Underscored the imperative of concerted global efforts in combating terrorism and appreciated Iran’s support in this regard. Also reaffirmed India’s steadfast commitment to countering terrorism through legal measures, technological advancement, and strengthened coordination among relevant agencies. Extended an invitation to Dr. Ghalibaf to participate in the BRICS Parliamentary Forum to be hosted by India in 2026," Om Birla posted.

Birla also underscored India's commitment to inclusive technological development and highlighted the nation’s vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is a "unique confluence of our ancient civilizational values and modern technological innovation."

At a session titled “Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation for Responsible and Inclusive Artificial Intelligence,” Birla presented India’s perspective on AI as a blend of ancient values and modern innovation.

"At the Session on 'Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation for Responsible and Inclusive Artificial Intelligence', highlighted India’s vision for Artificial Intelligence (AI) which is a unique confluence of our ancient civilizational values and modern technological innovation. It reflects our belief that AI must be human-centric, serving the values of justice, equality, and human rights. Shared thoughts on how India is deploying AI across critical sectors like healthcare, agriculture, climate action, education, and governance, ensuring it uplifts every citizen, especially the most vulnerable," he wrote on X.

Birla also addressed a working session titled "BRICS Parliamentary Action in Search of New Paths for Economic Development," where he reiterated India’s call for a fair, rule-based global trading system that reflects the priorities of the Global South. He emphasised the importance of deepening trade, investment, and financial cooperation among BRICS nations.

“Today, the BRICS group has emerged as a formidable force in the global economic landscape. It represents nearly 45 per cent of the population and contributes 40 per cent to the global GDP based on purchasing power parity,” Birla noted, appreciating Brazil’s Parliament for successfully hosting the forum.

The BRICS members include 11 nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this year, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan were inducted as partner countries of the BRICS.

(IANS)

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