Source: NIE
Context: India has officially taken over the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, to be hosted in 2026.
- This follows the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brazil, where member parliaments condemned the Pahalgam terror attack.
About 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum:
- What is the BRICS Parliamentary Forum?
- It is a platform for dialogue among parliaments of BRICS member countries.
- Facilitates discussions on terrorism, AI governance, economic development, and inter-parliamentary cooperation.
- Established in: The first BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in 2015, as a parallel institution to the BRICS summits.
- Period of Chairmanship:
- Chairmanship rotates annually among BRICS countries.
- India will serve as chair until the conclusion of the 12th forum in 2026.
- Functions:
- Encourages parliamentary diplomacy and alignment on global policy issues.
- Promotes democratic dialogue, cooperation in lawmaking, and consensus on global peace and security.
- Acts as a voice for the Global South in parliamentary affairs.
About BRICS:
- What is BRICS?
- BRICS is a geopolitical and economic grouping of 11 emerging nations, primarily from the Global South.
- It promotes multilateralism, reform of global institutions, and equity in international governance.
- Established In:
- The term BRIC was coined in 2001.
- The group was formally institutionalized through Foreign Ministers’ meetings from 2006.
- The first BRICS Summit took place in 2009 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
- Headquarters:
- BRICS has no permanent headquarters.
- The chairmanship rotates annually among members.
- Current Members (11 Members):
- Original Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
- New Members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE
- Functions of BRICS:
- Promotes inclusive global growth, sustainable development, and reform of Bretton Woods institutions.
- Focuses on economic cooperation, digital transformation, energy security, and peaceful multilateralism.
- Enhances political coordination and civil society engagement across member states.
- Supports cooperation in areas like health, education, space, fintech, and AI governance.
