New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin, held bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Uganda, Cuba and Thailand on the sidelines of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi on Sunday.

In a post on X, the Russian Embassy said, "On October 25, on the sidelines of the 12th #BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi, #India, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin met with his foreign counterparts for bilateral discussions."

"The talks were held with the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Marksons Jacob Oboth, Vice President of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, Ana Maria Mari Machado; and President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand, Mongkol Surasajja," the Embassy further added.

The meetings were held on the sidelines of the two-day forum hosted by the Parliament of India at the Parliament House complex in the national capital.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum and welcomed foreign delegations from BRICS member and partner countries, including Russian parliamentary Chairman Volodin.

Delegations representing 11 BRICS member countries and 10 partner nations arrived in New Delhi to participate in the forum. Representatives from Uganda, Cuba, Brazil and Russia were among those welcomed at the Parliament complex by officials and Members of Parliament.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is chairing the forum, delivered the inaugural address at the ceremony, which commenced at 10 am on Monday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also arrived at Parliament to attend the meeting.

Welcoming the visiting delegations, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal highlighted BRICS' global significance, noting that the grouping represents nearly half of the world's population, accounts for around 40 per cent of global GDP and contributes approximately 24 per cent to global trade.

Meanwhile, MP Rajeev Rai expressed hope that the forum would provide a platform for discussions on international peace, development and foreign policy, while helping maintain a balance against what he described as the United States' "overbearing influence".

India currently holds the BRICS presidency, with the parliamentary forum serving as a platform for lawmakers from member and partner nations to exchange views on shared challenges and strengthen cooperation.

Russia and Brazil are full members of BRICS, while Uganda and Cuba became partner countries in 2025. (ANI)