Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla today urged BRICS Parliaments to champion ethical, responsible and transparent technology with paramount human oversight.

Addressing the Plenary Sessions, as part of the ongoing 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Shri Birla said, BRICS nations representing approximately half of the world's population, share a collective responsibility to use technology ethically while safeguarding parliamentary sovereignty and fostering mutual cooperation.

Earlier in the day, Shri Birla inaugurated the forum.

Shri Birla outlined several digital innovations introduced by the Parliament of India to improve legislative capacity, transparency, efficiency, and public access, which include secure digital platforms providing MPs with online access to questions, answers, and prompt government department responses; multilingual initiatives offering the daily List of Business in 10 languages - with ongoing work toward all 22 scheduled languages - and simultaneous interpretation in 22 languages.

He also highlighted archival digitization of pre - and post-independence parliamentary debates equipped with metadata and video-search facilities; 24/7 online access to research papers alongside home delivery of books from the Parliament Library; and paperless governance initiatives utilizing the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) and the 'One Nation, One Legislative Platform' to connect legislatures and enable live streaming of proceedings, debates, budgets, and law-making information.

Shri Birla spoke about India's globally recognized Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which empowers citizens, promotes financial inclusion, and ensures transparent benefit transfers directly to bank accounts to reduce corruption. Stressing that technology must be responsible, accountable, and human-centric, he noted that advanced technology must align with human sensitivities, ethical values, and dignity, keeping human oversight paramount.

On the sidelines of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026, Shri Birla hosted H.E. Mr. Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council of the UAE. The two leaders reaffirmed historic bonds of friendship and committed to enhancing parliamentary cooperation through regular dialogue, delegation exchanges, and sharing best practices in digital governance via Digital Sansad, Artificial Intelligence, committee functioning, and the Online Assurance Monitoring System. Aligning with the shared aspirations of Viksit Bharat and We the UAE 2031, they discussed expanding ties in trade, investment, education, youth exchanges, and people-to-people connections, while emphasizing regional peace and stability through diplomacy.

Later, Shri Birla met Hon. Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. The two leaders discussed strengthening India-China relations through parliamentary exchanges, regular dialogue, and cooperation in areas such as education, healthcare, and technology. Shri Birla emphasized that as neighbors, both countries have a shared responsibility to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border and resolve differences amicably through dialogue and mutual respect. He also highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, stronger trade relations, and warmer people-to-people ties, expressing confidence that continued engagement through Parliamentary Friendship Groups and multilateral platforms such as BRICS would deepen mutual understanding.

Lok Sabha Speaker also met H.E. Dr. Ahmed Naderi, Member of the Presidium of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran. Recalling the historical ties between India and Iran and high-level engagements including their meeting in September 2026, Shri Birla emphasized the importance of peace and stability in West Asia. The leaders discussed taking forward Chabahar Port cooperation through joint efforts, and Dr. Naderi expressed gratitude for medicines, assistance, and other support extended by India to Iran. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of continued engagement to strengthen longstanding bilateral ties.