Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla  emphasized the deep-rooted historical and civilizational ties between India and Vietnam, stating that mutual faith and understanding have always been the foundation of bilateral relations. Lok Sabha Speaker highlighted the increasing use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in parliamentary proceedings. He stressed that digital innovations have enhanced transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in Parliament of India. He highlighted India's efforts to make available parliamentary debates and documents in multiple languages using AI, ensuring greater public engagement.  He also expressed India's willingness to share its experiences with the Vietnamese Parliament on using digital tools for governance, legislative documentation, and public outreach.  Shri Birla informed that India will soon constitute India-Vietnam Friendship Group.

He made these remarks during a meeting with the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, H.E. Shri Nguyen Duc Hai, and his delegation at the Parliament House.  He also recalled his visit to Vietnam in 2022, during which he had the opportunity to meet the then Speaker of the National Assembly of Vietnam. The Lok Sabha Speaker underscored the growing parliamentary exchanges between India and Vietnam, stating that parliamentary diplomacy is a crucial element of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Highlighting H.E. Shri Nguyen Duc Hai’s expertise in finance and credit, Shri Birla acknowledged his immense contribution to the economic governance of Vietnam, stating that his leadership has significantly benefited Vietnam’s legislative processes.

He stated that India, the world's largest democracy, has a rich heritage of democratic tradition. He also spoke about India’s vibrant electoral process, where around 900 million voters elect 543 representatives, and emphasized that democracy is not just a governance system in India but a cornerstone of its cultural and spiritual ethos. He briefed the delegation on the ongoing Budget Session, explaining that the Budget Session is the first of the three sessions of the year, where the annual budget of the central government is extensively reviewed by the Department related Parliamentary Committees before being passed and passed by Parliament.

He also highlighted the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), a world-class institution that has trained parliamentarians and officials from over 110 countries. Shri Birla extended an invitation for collaboration, offering customized capacity-building and training programs for the Members and officials of Parliament of Vietnam. Shri Birla concluded by expressing confidence that H.E. Shri Nguyen Duc Hai’s visit would further strengthen the India-Vietnam partnership. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to expanding parliamentary cooperation and mutual engagement.

H.E. Shri Nguyen Duc Hai expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Speaker for the warm hospitality and insightful discussions. H.E. Mr. Nguyen Duc Hai informed that Vietnam has decided to join India’s initiative of Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and will soon finalise internal procedures to join International Solar Alliance. He lauded India’s global leadership in technology, economic growth, and parliamentary best practices and reaffirmed Vietnam’s keen interest in strengthening collaboration in trade, education, and governance. He informed that Vietnam has decided to join India’s Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and is in the process of finalizing the modalities. Commending India’s Act East Policy, he also conveyed Vietnam’s strong support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. He invited Shri Birla to lead a parliamentary delegation to Vietnam.

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AM