Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has been chosen as the President of the India–Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group for the 18th Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, has established Parliamentary Friendship Groups with 64 countries, assigning senior Opposition leaders to head over a dozen of them, each comprising 11 members from both houses of Parliament.
A communication from the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s Conference and Protocol Branch announced the formation of a Parliamentary Friendship Group between India and the Philippines in the current Lok Sabha term. The aim is to enhance parliamentary-level engagement between the two nations.
The official communication, dated February 23 and issued by L.V. Ramana, Director of the Conference and Protocol Branch, Lok Sabha Secretariat, designated Gogoi as the President of the India–Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group. These Friendship Groups are informal platforms within Parliament that promote bilateral ties, facilitate dialogue among legislators, and improve mutual understanding on shared concerns.
Parliamentary Friendship Groups play a crucial role in strengthening people-to-people and institutional connections alongside formal diplomatic efforts. India and the Philippines have been enhancing cooperation in various sectors such as defence, maritime security, trade, education, and cultural exchanges.
The establishment of the India–Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group for the 18th Lok Sabha underscores India’s commitment to expanding engagement with Southeast Asian nations under its Act East Policy. As the President of the Friendship Group, Gogoi is expected to lead parliamentary interactions, coordinate exchanges with Filipino lawmakers, and contribute to enhancing legislative cooperation between the two countries during the current Lok Sabha’s tenure.
Further information on the Friendship Group’s composition and activities will be disclosed by the Lok Sabha Secretariat in the future.
