12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum: Joint Declaration and Global Governance

What is the context?

The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum concluded in New Delhi on 27 October 2026 after adopting a Joint Declaration by consensus. The forum, held at the Parliament of India and chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, had the theme 'Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development'. The Speaker handed the forum's chair to China, which takes over the BRICS Chairship for 2027.

The declaration reaffirms commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of international disputes. It also reaffirms the New Delhi Declaration agreed at the 18th BRICS Summit under India's chairship. The press releases quoted here do not mention West Asia, so this page does not describe the declaration's position on that region.

What are the main arguments?

• Peace through dialogue: the Speaker said lasting solutions lie in dialogue, peace and cooperation, not conflict or war.
• Terrorism: the declaration condemns cross-border terrorism, terror financing and safe havens, and calls for zero tolerance and an end to double standards.
• Global governance reform: members supported United Nations Security Council reform and greater Global South representation, as recorded in paragraph 13 of the New Delhi Declaration.
• Parliaments and technology: parliaments should be transparent, accountable and citizen-centric, and use responsible technology and artificial intelligence guided by ethics, transparency and accountability.
• Inclusive order: the Speaker said BRICS should not stand against anyone but move ahead with all.

What is the other side?

• A declaration is a political statement and is not legally binding on member parliaments or governments.
• Members differ in views, circumstances and challenges, as the Speaker himself noted; consensus language can hide differences.
• Condemning terrorism in general terms leaves open how members will act on United Nations listed terrorists in practice.
• Reform of the United Nations Security Council needs agreement beyond BRICS, so the forum's support is a signal, not a decision.
• Use of artificial intelligence in parliaments needs safeguards, and the release states ethics, transparency and accountability as conditions.

What does the official record say about the claims?

Anyone writing on the forum's position on West Asia should find the declaration text before making claims, because the official releases used here do not state one.

What is the way forward?

• Follow the 2027 BRICS Chairship under China and track how the Joint Declaration is carried forward.
• Share parliamentary best practices on technology, as the Speaker invited.
• Pursue consensus on United Nations Security Council reform and Global South representation through the larger multilateral process.
• Turn the condemnation of terrorism into coordinated action against United Nations designated terrorists and organisations.

How can this be used in essays and ethics answers?

• Quotable line: Peace is not the absence of difference but the habit of settling difference through dialogue.
• Quotable line: A parliament is not only a place that makes laws; it is a place that keeps public trust.
• Quotable line: Technology serves people best when ethics sets its limits.
• Where to use: essays on multilateralism, democracy and technology; GS-II international relations; GS-IV ethics of technology.

Mind map: Forum (theme, chair, outcome) – Declaration (UN Charter, terrorism, UNSC reform) – Parliaments (transparency, AI) – Global South (representation) – Next steps (China chair 2027).

What is the conclusion?

The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum ended with a consensus declaration on peace, terrorism, global governance reform and responsible technology for parliaments. It is a statement of shared intent, not a binding commitment. Its value will depend on follow-through in the 2027 chairship and in national legislatures.