Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressed the General Assembly of the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados in January 2026.
Birla emphasized India's commitment to democracy, equality, and justice, noting the Constitution as its guiding beacon for the past 75 years. He highlighted the need for collective efforts to address global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and food insecurity, asserting India's role as a reliable partner for global food and nutrition security. India has met the Paris Agreement targets ahead of schedule.
He invited Presiding Officers of Parliament of the Commonwealth to attend the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi from 7 to 9 January 2026.
Birla pointed out that over 1.4 million out of 3.1 million elected representatives in rural Panchayati Raj institutions are women and mentioned about Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which provides one-third reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
He also noted India's significant contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, supplying medicines and vaccines to over 150 nations. He advocated for establishing global standards for technology to ensure it serves humanity and fosters innovation while minimizing harm.
Key Entities Referenced
Lok Sabha Speaker: The speaker of the Lok Sabha, emphasizing India's democratic values and global role.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference: Annual gathering of parliamentarians from Commonwealth countries, discussing shared challenges and parliamentary cooperation.
Constitution of India: The supreme law of India, serving as a guiding beacon for democracy and equality.
International Solar Alliance: An initiative led by India to promote solar energy deployment globally.
New Delhi: The capital city of India and host of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).
Lok Sabha Secretariat
JOURNEY OF INDIA IS A LIVING EXAMPLE OF
SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY AND EQUALITY: LOK
SABHA SPEAKER
WORLD MUST FIGHT CHALLENGES LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE, PANDEMICS, FOOD
INSECURITY TOGETHER THROUGH
COLLECTIVE EFFORTS: LOK SABHA SPEAKER
INDIA IS A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR GLOBAL
FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY: LOK SABHA
SPEAKER
CONSTITUTION OF INDIA HAS BEEN ITS
GUIDING BEACON FOR THE PAST 75 YEARS:
LOK SABHA SPEAKER
CITIZENS OF COMMONWEALTH ARE ALL
ILLUMINATED BY THE SAME LAMP OF
DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM, AND HUMAN DIGNITY:
LOK SABHA SPEAKER
LOK SABHA SPEAKER ADDRESSES GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF 68TH COMMONWEALTH
PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE; INVITES
PRESIDING OFFICERS TO CSPOC IN NEW DELHIIN JANUARY 2026
Posted On: 11 OCT 2025 6:23PM by PIB Delhi
Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla emphasized that India is a living example of democracy and equality, with
the Constitution being its guiding beacon for the past 75 years. He highlighted that democracy is India's soul,
equality its resolve, and justice its identity. Shri Birla made these remarks while addressing the delegates at
the General Assembly of the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference on the theme “The
Commonwealth – A Global Partner.” On this occasion, the Speaker invited Presiding Officers of Parliament
of the Commonwealth to attend the next Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the
Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi from 7 to 9 January 2026.
Honored to address the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Barbados. The
Commonwealth is more than a grouping of nations - it's a family united by shared values,
democracy, and faith in dialogue. Highlighted that India remains committed to strengthening
parliamentary… pic.twitter.com/rUPGKpJjur
— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) October 10, 2025
He emphasized that global crises like climate change, pandemics, food insecurity, and inequality transcend
borders, requiring collective solutions. Shri Birla urged for united efforts to combat these challenges, stressing
that solutions cannot be found in isolation.
Shri Birla emphasized the importance of food and health security, highlighting India's role as a reliable partner
in global food and nutrition security. He recalled that India had once been dependent on others for food, and
the journey from those challenging times to its current status as a global power has been truly impressive.
Noting India's significant contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, he mentioned that the country
supplied medicines and vaccines to over 150 nations, underscoring the belief that health is a right, not a
privilege.
Shared India's experiences in democracy, diversity, and development at #68CPC. From reducing
carbon intensity to pioneering global efforts like the International Solar Alliance, we are leading
climate action through collaboration and innovation. Stressed that digital Parliament…
pic.twitter.com/bardIqGbwt
— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) October 10, 2025
Shri Birla highlighted India's status as the world's largest democracy and fastest-growing major economy. He
proudly noted that India has become the first major country to meet the Paris Agreement targets ahead of
schedule. Through initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure, India has emphasized global responsibility for the planet.
Shri Birla referred to India's efforts towards women empowerment, citing provisions for reservation for
women in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies. He noted that over 1.4 million out of 3.1 million
elected representatives in rural Panchayati Raj institutions are women. Additionally, he mentioned about Nari
Shakti Vandan Act, which provides one-third reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative
Assemblies, underscoring the prioritization of youth and women in Indian democratic institutions.
Shri Birla emphasized that technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence and digital platforms, can enhance
democracy's transparency and effectiveness. He stressed the need to ensure technology serves humanity, not
the other way around. To achieve this, he advocated for establishing global standards that promote innovation
while preventing harm, ensuring technology's benefits reach all while minimizing its negative impacts.
Referring to India's ancient democratic heritage, Shri Birla said that the spirit of Indian democracy is rooted in
its ancient civilization, culture, and village panchayat system. He noted that the tradition of dialogue,consensus, and collective decision-making has enabled India to become the world's largest democratic power.
Additionally, Shri Birla mentioned that India's traditional wisdom and the ancient mantra 'Vasudhaiva
Kuttumbakam', which emphasizes that the entire world is one family, continue to guide the nation.
Shri Birla highlighted the vast diversity of the Commonwealth nations, noting that despite speaking different
languages, following different traditions, and living in varied geographical conditions, the citizens of the
Commonwealth are united by the shared values of democracy, freedom, and human dignity. He emphasized
that the Commonwealth is more than just a grouping of countries; it is a family bound together by a shared
history, common values, and a collective vision for a shared future. He assured that India will continue to be
an active partner in this journey.
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AM
(Release ID: 2177851)