New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Leaders across party lines on Tuesday hailed the "success" of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, referring to it as a platform for India to voice its opinion as a leader and for exchanging success stories with the participating countries.

The Forum concluded on Tuesday with the adoption of a Joint Declaration, a day after its inauguration by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The declaration formally reaffirmed the member countries' commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, including sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful resolution of international disputes.

Speaking to reporters, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said: "This is yet another success on the international stage; the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum has proven to be a highly successful event. It provides an opportunity to showcase the strides being made globally—whether by our Parliament, our government, or our nation—and to highlight that India, rather than just being a follower, is now a leader."

He observed that the forum provided a platform for India to "keep forward its opinions" on global issues, while adding that through the G20 Summit in 2023, the BRICS Summit in September and the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, India has shown the world that it is capable of successfully organising global events.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal called it an "excellent opportunity", not just for India, but for all the participating nations to learn about the discussions taking place within the Parliaments of BRICS nations and to exchange success stories.

"Over the years, India has also made significant strides in this regard; consequently, other nations gain the chance to understand India’s positive aspects, best practices, as well as its rules and procedures," he said.

Expressing his happiness at being able to participate in the event, Union Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said: "We have all seen how important BRICS is turning out to be for the development of developing nations and the Global South."

He asserted that India is playing a "solid role" in not only developing itself but also other nations.

Mentioning the concept of 'Vishwa Bandhu', he said: "We have always carried the concept of everyone growing together."

Naidu stated that delegations from all the participating countries have high regard for India. "Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the nation has grown tremendously," he added.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also termed the forum as a "very successful event".

"What has happened essentially is that just as we had an agreement during the BRICS Summit in the summer, they had an agreement on the language here. There was some discussion about the joint declaration...in the end everything was handled amicably, and India peacefully handed over the chair to China," he told reporters.

Tharoor added: "We look forward to India's continued role in international cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy through BRICS as well as through other forums."

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai cautioned that the global order will lose relevance if the "voice" of the BRICS nations goes unheard.

“I hope everyone will sincerely act on the points discussed, read and heard here and convey a new message. The BRICS forum covers nearly one-third of the world’s geographical area. If its voice goes unheard, the global order loses its relevance," he told IANS.

--IANS

cg/uk