Om Birla interacts with Speakers of Australia, Tonga, Malawi; leaders agree to foster people-to-people ties, parliamentary engagements

New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla interacted with Speakers and presiding officers of various Commonwealth countries on the the sidelines of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), 2026 to foster mutual understanding and cooperation.

Birla said that his intearaction with Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, reflected the strong bilateral partnership 

“It is always a pleasure to interact with my dear friend, H.E. Mr. Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia. Our interaction reflected the strong India-Australia partnership, rooted in shared democratic values and parliamentary cooperation, and enriched by our shared cricketing traditions and a spirit of friendly rivalry that continues to connect our peoples. We reaffirmed our commitment to deepening institutional engagement, parliamentary exchanges, and people-to-people ties between our two democracies,” he said in a post on X.

In another post on X, Om Birla said he had a meaningful interaction with Sameer Suleman, Speaker of the National Assembly of Malawi. 

“We reflected on the strong and growing India–Malawi ties and the shared commitment to enhancing the dignity, credibility, and effectiveness of parliamentary institutions. I recalled my visit to Malawi in 2024 and noted the positive role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening people-to-people relations,” Birla said. 

The Lok Sabha Speaker said he was happy to note that this was Suleman’s first visit to India and the visiting leader spoke of his Indian heritage, expressing deep respect for India and a desire for closer partnership, viewing India as a trusted and reliable partner. 

“We agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation, and to continue learning from each other’s democratic experiences,” Birla said.

The Lok Sabha Speaker said he had “a warm and cordial interaction with Lord Vaea, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.

“We recalled the long-standing and friendly bilateral ties between our two countries and noted how our parliaments serve as a bridge between tradition and modern democratic practices. Our discussions focused on strengthening parliamentary cooperation, including exchanges on technology, AI, and digital parliamentary systems, especially as Tonga moves into a new Parliament complex,” Birla said in a post on X.

He said Lord Vaea expressed appreciation for India’s assistance during natural disasters and conveyed deep respect for India as the world’s largest democracy. 

“We agreed to further deepen India–Tonga parliamentary engagement,” Birla said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), 2026 at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan.

CSPOC is being hosted by the Parliament of India from January 14 to 16, and it is the largest in terms of participation.

The 27th edition of CSPOC was hosted by Uganda in January 2024, and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, and the Leader of IPD at that conference had taken over from Uganda as the host of the 28th edition of CSPOC, to be held in India in 2026. (ANI)