Biplab Kumar Deb from Northeast India Leads Bhutan Parliamentary Friendship Group

AGARTALA: To strengthen people-to-people connections through parliamentary dialogue, Former Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb has been appointed as President of the India-Bhutan Parliamentary Friendship Group under Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s initiative to constitute Friendship Groups with more than 60 countries worldwide.

Deb, currently a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, has been entrusted with leading India’s parliamentary engagement with Bhutan.

The appointment comes as part of Speaker Om Birla’s broader strategy to enhance India’s inter-parliamentary relations and complement traditional diplomacy with sustained legislative interaction.

According to the official communication from the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the India-Bhutan Parliamentary Friendship Group has been constituted for the period of the 18th Lok Sabha. The group includes representatives from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, reflecting the comprehensive nature of this parliamentary initiative.

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The composition of the India-Bhutan Parliamentary Friendship Group includes:

1. Biplab Kumar Deb, MP, Lok Sabha – President
2. Kalaben Mohanbhai Delkar MP, Lok Sabha
3. Umeshnath Balyogi, MP, Rajya Sabha
4. Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje MP, Lok Sabha
5. Ajendra Singh Lodhi MP, Lok Sabha
6. Dr. Kirsan Namdeo MP, Lok Sabha
7. Lumbaram Choudhary MP, Lok Sabha
8. Bharat Singh Kushwah MP, Lok Sabha
9. Rajathi Alias Salma, MP, Rajya Sabha
10. A D Singh MP, Rajya Sabha
11. Udayanraje Bhonsle MP, Lok Sabha

This appointment forms part of a larger initiative by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who has constituted Parliamentary Friendship Groups with more than 60 countries, including Sri Lanka, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Maldives, USA, Russia, EU Parliament, South Korea, Nepal, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Italy, Oman, Australia, Greece, Singapore, Brazil, Vietnam, Mexico, Iran, and UAE.

The initiative aims to allow lawmakers to speak directly to their counterparts abroad, share legislative experience, and build trust through regular engagement. Beyond parliamentary procedure, the groups are expected to facilitate conversations on trade, technology, social policy, culture, and global challenges that democracies face today.

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Speaker Shri Om Birla has consistently emphasized the role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening India’s global standing. Under his stewardship, Parliament has taken a more active role in international forums, projecting India not only as a political power but as a confident and mature democracy willing to engage, listen, and collaborate.

The Friendship Groups will enable structured exchanges through dialogues, study visits, and joint discussions, helping to sustain long-term cooperation rooted in democratic values. By prioritizing Parliament-to-Parliament and people-to-people connections, this initiative signals a more participatory approach to foreign engagement.

While friendship groups have been constituted with more than 60 countries in the first phase, efforts are being made to constitute these groups with many more countries in the near future. This expansion demonstrates India’s commitment to building stronger bilateral relations through sustained parliamentary engagement and dialogue.