By Prof. Kabir Mohan Sethy*

When Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla rose to speak at the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasília on June 5, 2025, it wasn’t just a speech—it was the stirring echo of a civilisational voice long silenced on global platforms. At a moment when the world stands uncertain—grappling with wars, technological disruptions, and a fraying global order—India arrived not merely as a participant, but as a conscience-keeper of a fractured world.

The Forum brought together ten nations, each with its history, political makeup, and geopolitical heft. And yet, it was India’s principled and poignant voice that anchored the dialogue. From discussions on AI governance to terrorism, it was India's clarity that cut through diplomatic jargon. The announcement that India will host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2026 wasn’t just ceremonial—it was symbolic. It acknowledged India as a rising pillar of international statesmanship.

BRICS+: A Reimagined Forum, and India’s Anchoring Voice

BRICS has grown. With the induction of Iran, UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia, the bloc has transformed into a formidable force—one no longer simply reacting to Western hegemony but proactively shaping the norms of the emerging multipolar world.

Amidst this expansion, India has emerged as a civilisational ballast—offering the Forum not just scale, but soul. Unlike others who approach diplomacy as a chessboard of self-interest, India walks with the weight of dharma—its moral compass forged by millennia of coexistence and dialogue. It doesn’t need to thump tables. Its silence, at times, is enough to alter the mood of a room.

What distinguishes India's approach, especially under the contemporary national leadership, is its refusal to be clubbed with either extremes of the ideological spectrum. India neither mimics Western models nor allies blindly against them. It charts a middle civilisational path—assertive yet non-imperial, sovereign yet cooperative.

Pahalgam’s Pain, and a Reckoning with Global Terror

Perhaps the most powerful moment in Brasília came when the Forum, for the first time in its history, directly referenced a specific terrorist attack: Pahalgam. The wounds of that tragedy were still raw in India's memory. Yet what stood out was not the mourning alone—but the resolute clarity with which Speaker Om Birla spoke.

Birla did not beg the world to see India’s pain—he demanded accountability. He urged that terrorism not be treated as an issue of the East alone, but of shared civilisational threat. He asked for coordinated action to dismantle terror finance, curtail technological misuse, and end cross-border sanctuaries. And the Forum responded—not with silence, but with solidarity.

In this, India’s leadership is moving from narrative victimhood to strategic ownership. This posture has been shaped by a string of hard-earned experiences—from Pulwama to Pahalgam, from Galwan to Gaza evacuations. Operations like Sindoor, where surgical military action was conducted with precision and mercy, and Kaveri, which brought citizens home from Sudan’s war-torn streets, have shown India’s ability to balance grit with grace.

Diplomacy Beyond Desks: The Power of Parliaments

While executive diplomacy often takes the limelight, the 11th BRICS Forum shone light on a newer frontier—parliamentary diplomacy. And here, too, India led with innovation. India has insisted that diplomacy must not remain the preserve of bureaucracies alone. Legislatures—where people’s voices echo—must also shape global conversations.

By foregrounding this vision, India is not just democratising diplomacy, but decolonising it. It’s telling the world that solutions to the 21st century’s challenges cannot come from closed rooms—they must come from open debates.

India’s Parliament, vibrant though at times raucous, stands as a model of participatory governance. To invite fellow nations into this culture is not an assertion of superiority, but an invitation to shared wisdom.

Global Order in Flux, and Bharat’s Poised Ascent

The world’s old architecture is crumbling. Neither NATO nor BRICS alone can guarantee order. The new landscape is messier—and it requires nations that can be translators between systems, cultures, and ideologies.

India is uniquely placed for this role. It talks to Russia and the West. It shares civilisational ties with Iran and trade partnerships with the UAE. It believes in sovereignty, but also in shared responsibility. In this moment of flux, India isn’t waiting for a baton—it is crafting its own leadership stride.

The G20 presidency in 2023 gave India a stage. The BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2026 will give it a canvas. It must paint boldly—demanding reform in global institutions, calling for an ethical digital world order, and championing security rooted in justice, not just might.

Bharat: A Voice of Dharma in Global Discord

At the heart of India’s rising stature is not just economics, but ethos. Today’s Bharat speaks with the resonance of an ancient civilisation and the decisiveness of a young democracy. Its diplomacy is not about erasing the past, but realising its relevance.

This is not about nostalgia—it’s about necessity. The world is tired of binaries. Bharat offers a third way—rooted, rational, and responsible. When India speaks of AI ethics, it does so from a place that has always revered knowledge. When it condemns terror, it does so not out of fear, but duty.

As India readies to host the world in 2026, it is not merely preparing logistics—it is preparing legacy. This is Bharat’s moment not to impress, but to inspire.

Conclusion: The Gathering Storm, and the Guiding Flame

Brasília was not just another international forum—it was a mirror. And what the world saw in that mirror was a Bharat unafraid to feel, to speak, and to lead.

The journey from Pahalgam’s pain to Brasília’s promise encapsulates the emotional and strategic rise of India. The wounds we carry are real—but so is the wisdom we offer. As nations prepare to gather on Indian soil for the next summit, they will find not just a host—but a harbinger.

India today does not shout. It shines. And that, in this darkening world, may be the light we all need.

 

*The author is the Head of the Department of Geography at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Views are personal.