Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Arrives in Barbados for 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Bridgetown, Barbados/New Delhi,— Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla arrived in Bridgetown, Barbados, leading the Indian parliamentary delegation to participate in the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC). The CPC, one of the largest gatherings of parliamentarians from Commonwealth countries, provides a platform to strengthen democratic institutions, promote good governance, and explore solutions to global challenges through parliamentary diplomacy and collaboration.

Speaker Birla participated in the inaugural session along with members of the Indian parliamentary delegation, which includes Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, MPs and CPA Executive Committee members Anurag Sharma, Dr. D. Purandeshwari, Dr. K. Sudhakar, Rekha Sharma, and Dr. Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchhade, along with Lok Sabha Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary P.C. Modi. Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani was also present.

At the conference, Speaker Birla will chair a key workshop on “Effective Use of Technology: Empowering Democracy through Digital Transformation and Bridging the Digital Divide”. He will also address the 68th CPC General Assembly on the theme “Commonwealth: A Global Partner”, highlighting India’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and fostering global parliamentary cooperation.

The conference will host seven thematic workshops on contemporary issues, in which members from 36 presiding officers of India’s 24 states and union territories will participate. During the visit, Birla will also hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from other Commonwealth nations, discussing matters of mutual interest and ways to enhance parliamentary collaboration.

The 68th CPC, organized by the Parliament of Barbados and the CPA Barbados Branch, brings together over 600 representatives from more than 180 national, state, and provincial legislatures, under the theme “Commonwealth – A Global Partner”.

India has been an active participant in various Commonwealth Parliamentary Association initiatives, contributing to global democratic dialogue and parliamentary capacity-building.