BRASILIA (Brazil): India supports a fair and rule-based global trading system that meets the aspirations of the Global South, said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla while addressing the 2nd Working Session of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasilia on Thursday.
Highlighting the significance of the BRICS platform, Birla said, “India views the BRICS Parliamentary Forum as a vital platform where shared efforts and dialogue can redefine economic development. This forum reinforces our commitment to mutual cooperation, solidarity, and the welfare of our citizens.”
Referring to India’s economic performance, Birla noted that the country has risen from the 10th largest economy in 2014 to the 4th largest today. “India’s GDP has grown at an average rate of over 7 per cent in the past decade, making it the fastest-growing major economy,” he said.
He underlined India’s stable governance, strong institutions, and transparent tax regime as key drivers of global investor confidence. “From water and energy to ports and logistics hubs, India’s infrastructure development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership has defined the New India,” he said.
Birla also highlighted India’s demographic dividend, with over 65 per cent of its population under the age of 35. “India is emerging as the Skill Capital of the World, supplying skilled manpower not just for domestic needs but also to the global workforce,” he added, citing initiatives like Skill India and the New Education Policy.
Calling India the “Pharmacy of the World,” he listed India’s global leadership in IT services, mobile manufacturing, digital payments, and clean energy. He cited UPI, JAM Trinity, and e-NAM as transformative models that can inspire other BRICS nations.
Stressing the need for equitable global governance, Birla said, “The representation of developing countries in international institutions remains inadequate. This imbalance hampers global equity and balanced development.”
He warned that global challenges—from the COVID-19 pandemic to food and energy insecurity—have disproportionately impacted the Global South. “Concrete, coordinated action is essential to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he stated.
Birla welcomed the expansion of the BRICS grouping, saying it would make the forum more inclusive and impactful.
On the sidelines of the event, Birla held bilateral meetings with the President of the Federal Senate of Brazil, Sen. Davi Alcolumbre, and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta. He reaffirmed the strong bilateral ties between India and Brazil, emphasizing collaboration in defence, technology, energy, space, and culture.
On regional security, Birla condemned the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, calling it an attack that “shook the conscience of the entire world.” He reiterated India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and said that the country would continue to take strong, proportionate action to defend itself.
