In order to enhance ‘parliamentary diplomacy’ between two countries, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is likely to visit Moscow in Russia next month. A general pledge to intensify legislative cooperation between India and Russia was made by the then Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and the Speaker of Russian Duma Viacheslav Volodin on December 10, 2018. Speaker Mr Birla is likely to lead a delegation of lawmakers and senior officials from both the Houses of Parliament, sources said.
The importance about parliamentary diplomacy was further highlighted in a Joint Statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting at Vladivostok on September 5 this year. “Both Sides welcomed intensive cooperation between their parliaments and noted the importance of interparliamentary interaction as a valuable component of their bilateral relations. They highlighted the visit of the Chairman of the State Duma to India in December 2018 and look forward to the visit of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to Russia later in 2019,” the Joint Statement has said.
The leadership and lawmakers in both the countries feel that enhanced ‘parliamentary diplomacy’ will ensure strategic cooperation including in security and people to people level in multiple sectors. (UNI)
