New Delhi, January 16, 2026 (CSPOC) — Hon’ble Vice-President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan held a cordial and substantive meeting with Lord McFall of Alcluith PC, Lord Speaker of the UK House of Lords, at Parliament House, New Delhi. The interaction took place on the sidelines of the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), hosted by India from January 14–16, 2026.
Strengthening India–UK Parliamentary Friendship
Welcoming the Lord Speaker to the Rajya Sabha, Shri Radhakrishnan expressed pleasure at his participation in CSPOC 2026 and noted that his presence reflected the enduring friendship and robust parliamentary relations between India and the United Kingdom. He remarked that the visit offered a valuable opportunity to experience India’s democratic ethos, parliamentary traditions and cultural heritage.
The Vice-President highlighted that while India’s parliamentary system has drawn inspiration from the Westminster model, it has evolved organically to reflect India’s unique constitutional and democratic realities.
Shared Commitment to Democratic Values and Responsible Speech
During the discussion, Shri Radhakrishnan underlined the shared commitment of both countries to core democratic principles such as:
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Rule of law
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Parliamentary privilege
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Democratic oversight of the executive
He particularly emphasized the importance of freedom of speech with responsibility, noting that such freedom must not be misused for disruptive activities within legislatures. These shared values, he observed, form a strong foundation for mutual learning and cooperation.
Parliamentary Diplomacy and Exchange Programmes
The Vice-President described parliamentary diplomacy as a cornerstone of Commonwealth cooperation and reaffirmed India’s commitment to inter-parliamentary exchanges. He suggested expanding collaboration through:
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Joint workshops
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Training programmes
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Knowledge-sharing initiatives
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Parliamentary delegation exchanges
Such efforts, he said, would further deepen institutional understanding between the two democracies.
Digital Innovation in Parliamentary Functioning
Highlighting the transformative role of technology, Shri Radhakrishnan noted that India has adopted advanced digital practices such as:
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E-Parliament systems
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Live streaming of proceedings
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Digitised parliamentary records
He expressed keen interest in learning from the House of Lords’ experience in digital transformation, particularly in areas such as:
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Enhancing accessibility
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Promoting transparency
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Strengthening public engagement
He suggested that collaboration in technology-driven governance could benefit both legislatures in legislative drafting, committee functioning and citizen participation.
Joint Global Priorities within Parliamentary Forums
The Vice-President proposed that India and the UK work together within parliamentary and multilateral platforms to advance shared global priorities, including:
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Promotion of women’s political participation
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Strengthening climate resilience through legislative action
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Cooperation in higher education as a tool of soft power
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Harnessing technology for inclusive, transparent governance
He observed that the Commonwealth provides a unique platform for parliamentarians to share best practices and uphold democratic standards globally.
Conclusion
Concluding the meeting, Shri Radhakrishnan reaffirmed the shared democratic values that underpin India–UK relations and expressed confidence that continued engagement would further strengthen bilateral parliamentary cooperation. He noted that such interactions have the potential to inspire joint initiatives that could serve as models across the Commonwealth.
Hon’ble Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh, was also present during the meeting.
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Source: PIB
